Something Tangible
by AngeLhearteD
Summary: Their eyes met. They had done so many times before. But this time, somehow, they both sensed it was different. One hopes. The other denies. Fate, and a few friends, conspire. SasuSaku.
1. The Fair

_Greetings Naruto (and SasuSaku) fans! BlueGreenApples, the absolutely amazing author of the fantastic SasuSaku fic 'Color Theory' (as well as the brilliant 'Fealty' and all her other jaw-dropping works) recently proposed a fic swap between herself and me. I was obviously ecstatic to receive such an offer (it's a high compliment considering I'm a total newbie to the Naruto fan fiction scene and she is like a Goddess of writing SasuSaku xD) and so I naturally agreed. We exchanged prompts and here is the first part of my response to the scenario she suggested, which was '__summertime in Konoha with a Reconciled Team 7'. BGA, this is for you hun! Thanks so much for being so inspiring, and I really hope you enjoy the first chapter (and all the following ones xD)._

**Something Tangible**

_**By AngeLhearteD**_

**Chapter I: The Fair**

* * *

He liked things simple. He liked things to be all worked out in his head. He liked concepts to be concrete. Anything that was not simple and concrete - anything that even vaguely resembled any form of indefinable essence – disconcerted and bothered him. It confused him. And Uchiha Sasuke despised, above all other states of mind, the catastrophic maze of confusion. Because it was within this state, that complete control, and absolute discipline over both mind and body, would begin to falter.

* * *

Konoha was a breathtaking vision to behold in the summer. The sunny blue skies were cloudless; the grassy, rolling banks were dark green and pretty flowers of all shades swayed in the gentle breeze.

Children who were due to start attending the Ninja Academy for the first time in the following Autumn ran down the busy streets in excitement, proclaiming to whoever cared to listen that they would grow to be the finest shinobi or kunoichi that Konoha had ever produced, better than any other in the history of the village.

Seventeen year old Uchiha Sasuke sat perched on the edge of the rooftop of his house, staring out at the idyllic scenes before him. Any threats to Konoha had long since been removed. The hidden leaf village was now the perfect picture of peace.

He had returned to the village just over seven months earlier. And only once he had set foot through the imposing front gates, had he realised just how much he had missed Konoha; his home.

Tsunade had been lenient on him; a year under the strict, watchful guard of ANBU and a further six months after the initial twelve of nothing but low rank missions was deemed to be a suitable sentence for his betraying the village and turning nukenin. Following on from that, he would be permitted on ANBU monitored missions with his original team but on strict probation terms, bringing the total count of his sentence to two years. If he completed the two years successfully and maintained good, law abiding behaviour, Tsunade would withdraw all watch from him and allow him to travel freely on high rank missions.

The Uchiha Clan had been one of the richest in the Fire Country. But until Sasuke completed his two year sentence, all his inherited money would be trusted to Konoha's High Council. He would receive only basic allowances every month for what Tsunade had argued would only be basics anyway, like money for food and other necessities. While serving, he was also required to take all the Academy exams he had missed since leaving the village. Sasuke had passed them all easily, and now spent most of his days reading, toning up already perfected skills, or simply watching people. When Naruto and Sakura were around, and not off on a mission, it made the dragging hours of every day a little more bearable.

When the Uchiha prodigy had first returned to the village, he hadn't known what to expect. Tsunade and all his elders were understandably furious with him. He had half thought that he would be executed, or at the very least, imprisoned for a long time. Naruto and Sakura had pleaded on his behalf. They had never argued for him in Sasuke's presence; they knew he was too proud to permit them to do such a thing; but he knew that they had done so.

He vaguely wondered if he even deserved such friends. He had driven them away, abandoned them, nearly killed them on a number of occasions, and still they had gone so far for him. They had refused to let go. They had refused to give up on him. Team 7 was truly like a family unit, with an astonishingly unbreakable bond.

When issuing his sentence to him, Tsunade had pointed out to the scowling disciplinary council that despite his treachery, Sasuke had still killed Orochimaru and Itachi; two highly dangerous traitors to Konoha. He had also formed an alliance with Konoha's elite ninja squads to defeat Uchiha Madara and the remaining members of the shadowy organisation Akatsuki. Kakashi had added in his defence that Sasuke had done nothing to injure his home village by leaving; he had not killed any ninja or civilians other than the aforementioned enemies of Konoha (Orochimaru had always questioned Sasuke over why he never killed people); if anything, Sasuke's defection had only aided the village and helped to keep it, and specifically, Naruto, safe.

Sasuke had accepted his sentence with an air of nonchalance, but having ANBU guards always stationed nearby, watching him, was an annoyance. Sasuke was a very private person, and hated having his personal space infringed upon. Being unable to leave the village and being unable to embark on high rank missions with the rest of Team 7 was frustrating for one of his talent and degree of skill. Sitting around, day after day, doing nothing but reading or absent-mindedly throwing shuriken at battered target boards was tedious. But he knew he deserved the consequences of his actions. He had no right to complain.

The weather today was exceptionally warm. As he sat, dressed in a light white shirt that was undone 2 buttons from the collar and rolled up to his elbows at the sleeves, dark blue baggy trousers and black nin sandals, he welcomed the faint breeze that stirred his raven hair away from his slightly sun-tanned face.

Many in the village didn't share Tsunade, Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura's sympathetic view of him. Not everyone offered him acceptance and an understanding of his past actions. Many people still considered him a dangerous villain; a traitor. He had often heard whispers directed at him, ones that spoke of Uchihas being nothing but troubled and power-hungry. He didn't let the comments get to him. After all, he had been expecting a backlash the second he had walked back into the village.

For seven months and two weeks now, he had gone about the awkward task of readjusting to normal village life. And for the first time in his life since before the massacre of his Clan, Sasuke was burden free.

It felt strange.

Much had changed in the village. It seemed a lot smaller than Sasuke remembered, or perhaps that was just because he had been 12 when he had left it, and things looked so much bigger in a child's eyes. There seemed to be more people than he remembered. More children. More older residents. More cats and dogs.

But some things had remained the same.

Like the legions of female admirers who thought former nukenin were sexy and exciting, even more so when the shinobi in question was an Uchiha, who happened to be young, wealthy, handsome and single. Tsunade had personally threatened to personally discipline any over-zealous fangirl who tried to bother Sasuke, or even came within a specific distance of him.

Like Kakashi still making excuses for arriving late, when he stopped by to check on Sasuke.

'TEME!'

Like Naruto calling him that annoying name.

His eyes lowered to the cobbled street below to find Naruto running up, waving enthusiastically. He was clad in an orange T-shirt, brown Bermuda shorts and brown sandals. Judging from his casual attire and the absence of his forehead protector, Sasuke knew the energetic teen had the day off. Behind him trailed Sakura, wearing a dark red, snugly fitting T-shirt top and a short cream coloured zip skirt over black shorts. She also waved in greeting, though her gesture was significantly more graceful than and not as crazed as her blond haired friend. Naruto stopped directly below where Sasuke sat, stepping back to peer up at him. Both he and Sakura had to shade their eyes from the glare of the sun situated just behind their raven haired friend.

'Hey, Teme, get your sorry butt down here!' Naruto called up loudly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He knew he didn't have much choice in the matter. They'd pester him into joining them, just like old times. Besides, as insane as the notion was, joining Naruto and Sakura was a much more attractive alternative to sitting on the roof, doing absolutely nothing but people watching.

Shifting to glance back over a shoulder at the 2 ANBU sitting on watch in a nearby tree, he swiftly jumped off the roof and landed gracefully in front of his loud-mouthed best friend.

'Pfft, always showing off.' Naruto muttered, and then brightened as he remembered the reason for his visit.

'Hoy Sasuke! You won't guess what's going down at the park!' The tan-skinned shinobi grinned mischievously. Sasuke gave him a wary look. He knew that smile, and instantly regretted leaving the rooftop. The blond turned his attention up to said rooftop, squinting as he pointed a finger at the ANBU who had dutifully moved to watch Sasuke.

'Hey! You two! Take a hike! Me and Sakura-chan will watch Sasuke for a few hours!'

The ANBU exchanged glances, before one of them replied:

'We are under specific instruction from the Hokage herself...'

Sakura cut him off, flashing a brilliant (fake) smile, as she held up a slender hand.

'Don't worry; I specifically have Tsunade-shishou's _special_ permission.' She said sweetly. The hand clenched into a tight, small fist, signalling that she didn't want any nonsense.

The ANBU relented, deciding they could trust Sasuke to Sakura and Naruto's care for a few hours.

'We will be waiting here for Sasuke-san when you return.' The second guard said.

'Sure, sure.' Naruto waved dismissively.

The guards jumped swiftly away, disappearing in a flash of movement.

'Alright Sakura-chan!' Naruto grinned at the pink-haired kunoichi who slowly lowered her fist. Then he turned his attention back to Sasuke, the grin widening. Sasuke's eyebrows twitched slightly. Naruto's goofy smile was ridiculous.

'Hey bastard, you better like water!' The blond boy said, and then, cackling, sped off down the street, calling back an excited 'C'mon guys!' before disappearing round the corner.

Sasuke's expression was a priceless mix of 'What the hell' and 'Why do I put up with that idiot?'. Before he could ponder what Naruto had meant about liking water, he felt small, cool fingers close around his left hand and a strong tug pull him forward.

'Come on, Sasuke-kun!' Sakura exclaimed, running forward. Sasuke didn't object, allowing her to pull him along.

Just like old times.

* * *

The park was holding some kind of summer festival. The appetising smell of food wafted through the air and children ran, firing water balloons at each other, squealing as they dodged or got hit. Stands selling ice-cream and refreshments, surrounded by many bodies of people, lined up like small wooden soldiers.

_A fair?_ Sasuke thought, unimpressed. Naruto and Sakura had to be kidding. He couldn't think of a sillier or more mindless waste of time.

But Naruto had already greeted his friends, jumping on a mortified Shikamaru in greeting. He fell backwards into Kiba, who spilled his drink, promptly turning to yell at the clumsy blond.

_Hn, typical Naruto_, Sasuke thought. Trust his friend to cause instant mayhem within seconds of arriving on the scene.

The tug on his left arm directed his attention back to Sakura. 'Come on Sasuke-kun!' She said, but this time he stood firm, so that when she pulled she was sent back, almost colliding into him.

At his stubborn expression, Sakura sighed. Then she pasted 'The Smile' on her face. Sasuke knew that sweet smile the same way he knew Naruto's mischievous one.

'Sasuke-kuuun.' She drawled, in a voice that translated to 'Don't make me use my monstrous strength in front of all these civilians and their children'. He glared, reluctantly allowing her to guide him to where Naruto was getting shouted at again, this time by an angry Ino. Kiba's drink had spilt onto her brand new purple and white top.

'Naruto, why you clumsy little-!' The blonde girl broke off abruptly, spotting Sakura and Sasuke. She shoved Naruto aside and seemingly forgot her anger as she greeted her pink-haired friend briefly. Then she turned and flung herself at Sasuke before either Sakura or the Uchiha could react.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Ino was _such_ a bimbo. Didn't she know by now that Sasuke hated girls who threw themselves at him? Her younger self would have been furious at Ino's hanging off Sasuke, but she had matured a lot over the years. She now merely regarded her friend with something like a weary amusement.

'Oh Sasuke-kun!' Ino sighed flirtatiously, arms around his neck. 'It's _so_ good to see you!'

Sasuke glared, starting to pry her arms off.

'When are you gonna whisk me up the isle, huh?' Ino demanded, to which Sasuke glared even more heatedly before shoving her away. She pouted, feigning hurt.

Sakura knew it was all a bit of harmless flirting on Ino's part, but she caught the annoyed look on Shikamaru's face. He and Ino had been dating for 5 months, and although there was no doubt that the blonde kunoichi loved him to death, she also loved winding him up. How better to rile her sweetheart up than flirting with her old crush, Sasuke? She felt nothing but a vague respect for the former object of her affections. Sakura knew it. Sasuke knew it. Shikamaru knew it, and still muttered 'Troublesome' under his breath.

Ino stuck out her tongue. 'Oh well, your loss!' She quickly lost interest in the tall Uchiha, turning back to Shikamaru. 'Shika-kun!' She said indulgently. 'You promised you'd get us ice-cream!'

The Nara genius sighed tiredly. Was he out with a child or with a woman? It didn't matter. Both were troublesome. As Ino linked a slender arm through his, he gave Sakura a brief, defeated nod in greeting, before turning his attention back to the girl who was pulling him through the crowds.

Sakura giggled slightly despite herself. She was genuinely happy for Ino. Shikamaru was of a very respectable and well-known Clan and he was a good guy who Sakura knew would treat Ino right.

Sasuke was merely pleased that he had one less fangirl to avoid. Ino was less-dense than he had initially thought; her moving on was proof enough of that.

A loud shout drew Sasuke and Sakura's attention to a very familiar figure.

'What did you call me Sai?!' Naruto was bright red, and Sakura sighed. She could only guess what the pale boy had called her blond-haired friend this time. Hinata was looking very embarrassed and agitated, clearly not knowing how to calm Naruto down. Kiba was laughing loudly, further angering the blond. Shino merely stood back, coolly assessing the situation disinterestedly behind black glasses (in reality he was sulking over being left out).

The pink-haired girl opened her mouth to tell Sasuke that she had to go and calm Naruto down before he made an even bigger scene than he already had, but she was surprised to find that Sasuke was no longer behind her. Her apple-green eyes scanned through the crowds of people and finally caught sight of a familiar raven head. The Uchiha had made his way to a rolling grassy slope, not far from where the Academy teachers and Tsunade and Shizune stood. It was the most unoccupied space in the entire park, and as Sasuke sat down, Sakura turned away, satisfied that he wasn't going anywhere.

She made her way over to where Chouji was holding back Naruto while simultaneously eating a handful of food. The kunoichi sighed, giving the Akimichi Clan member a look signalling for him to release the blond, before swiftly stepping between Sai and Naruto and gave them both the sweet, threatening smile that made the two shinobi instantly back down.

'Now boys, there's no trouble here is there?' She enquired in a sugary voice.

'Eheh heh heh...' Naruto laughed through his teeth, still glaring at Sai. 'N...no Sakura-chan, no trouble!'

'Good!' Sakura smiled, and then without warning turned and grabbed Sai by the collar of his shirt.

'Sai! If you go around winding up any more people by calling them your twisted nicknames, I'll kick you out of Konoha!'

The pale boy swallowed.

'I...I understand...' He managed.

The smile further sweetened as Sakura closed her eyes serenely. 'Good! Now go and get Naruto a drink as an apology.'

'But...Sakura...'

The green eyes snapped open.

'Eh? Any problems?'

'Ah...n...no...' Sai muttered, as she released him and he went to do as she had suggested.

Sakura watched him a moment before turning on Naruto.

'Geez, that Sai is such an ass-' The blond was cut off when Sakura jabbed a finger at him.

'Naruto!' She lectured. 'Can't you see all the civilians here? You have to make a good impression, not show up our team!'

'But Sakura-chan – Sai, he-'

'You know what Sai is like! What's your excuse?'

Naruto looked genuinely embarrassed. 'S...sorry...' He mumbled.

Sakura sighed and her face softened as she gave him a friendly tap on the shoulder. She glanced at Hinata, and gave the girl a bright smile.

'Hinata! Would you like a drink?'

The dark-haired Hyuuga looked surprised at the sudden question.

'Ah...I...I...w...well...that is...'

'Naruto!' Sakura turned back to her team-mate, who cringed at her accusing tone. 'How can you stand there when a lady is thirsty? Go and get Hinata a drink, where are your manners?'

Hinata blushed a deep crimson and Naruto's eyes widened. He straightened up and nodded, before dashing off to serve as Hinata's knight in shining armour.

Sakura met the shy girl's gaze and winked playfully.

**Author's Note**

_Chapter 1 is done! Keep in mind this is the first time I'm writing non-Team 7 characters, so go easy on the constructive criticism! I'm trying to keep everyone in character, but since they're all a little older than the current Shippuuden ages, I also wanted to put subtle hints of changes and personality growth. The total length of this short story will be between 3-5 chapters. It definitely won't go over 5 lol. It was originally supposed to be 3 but my idea er, grew, as it were xD Anyways let me know what you thought of it so far, and for all you SasuSaku fans, don't worry, there'll be plenty hints at the pairing in the coming chapter. This was more of a setting the scene intro to the rest. Thanks for reading!_


	2. The Proposition

_Hey readers! Just to let you know that from this chapter onwards, there will be flashbacks of events concerning Sasuke and Sakura, before Sasuke returned to Konoha. More specifically they'll be previous encounters before he rejoined the village. They might seem like random inclusions, but they give a glimpse of history and add depth to the story. I was originally going to add song lyrics to this chapter's flashback but scrapped it as I felt it didn't really work well, lol. Anyways enjoy chapter 2, it's a long one!_

**Chapter II: The Proposition**

* * *

She had done a lot of thinking while she was growing up. She had come to realise how much time she had foolishly wasted pining after someone who would never return her love; lost time that could have been spent training to become stronger, a better kunoichi. Haruno Sakura had long accepted that she and Uchiha Sasuke could never be anything more than just team-mates. There was no alternative future for them. She was just glad that he was back in Konoha, back with her and Naruto, back amongst people who cared for him. She was just glad to be his friend.

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

They had passed each other once, fleetingly, in one of the many forests Hebi had travelled through on Sasuke's vengeful journey. It had been one unexpected and completely random moment. Some would have said it was fate, not luck, which had dictated the brief encounter.

The only possible warning had come from Karin, who had informed Sasuke that someone with a 'strange' and 'different' chakra was up ahead, coming directly their way. Suigetsu had questioned whether they should prepare to take the incoming threat out. Sasuke had replied that they would not attack if the approaching individual did not, and ordered his team not to slow down their pace as they continued onward.

Jumping gracefully from branch to branch at a speed faster than the others and with his right hand at the ready on the hilt of the Kusanagi blade, Sasuke had just pushed a canopy of leaves aside when he caught a flash of pale pink. His pace had slowed marginally, almost instinctively. The slender figure that brushed by his right side, barely grazing his elbow, had gasped, and clumsily tried to stop to turn and look at him, but failing to do so in time. Her light coloured cloak, a stark contrast to the dark ones Hebi wore, billowed in the breeze behind her. The ephemeral moment of the figure and Sasuke's brief passing seemed to move in agonisingly slow motion despite the speeds at which both individuals were travelling.

Sasuke had seen, for a split second, familiar bright green eyes widen in shock, and his own onyx ones had shifted to the right, following her visibly agitated movement. They lingered on her face for an infinitesimal fraction of a second as she passed him, and it was only until the last strand of dusky coloured hair had disappeared completely from the corner of his vision that Sasuke had focused empty eyes to look ahead again. He had picked up on her agitated energy and the nerve ends of his bare elbow tingled as he had recalled the electric chakra he had prepared in his right arm to deal with the unknown threat if necessary. But there was no way he could have sensed the way the individual was feeling. The static that shot through her right arm at the brief contact had made her catch her breath suddenly, and had reached him as a choked gasp.

A whispered beginning of, 'S...Sas...' had reached his ears before it had been swallowed up by rushing air as the remainder of his team flew by the figure, leaving her far behind in moments. There was no way she could have followed them.

He hadn't seen the person's shocked face turn to look back over a shoulder at his retreating form. He hadn't seen the figure finally reach a stop on a tree, standing frozen and watching helplessly as Hebi disappeared from sight in flashes of fluid movement. This wasn't lost on his team-mates however, but even they were long gone when the figure finally moved, falling to her knees on the branch she had landed on, hands clenched into tight fists, still staring wide-eyed at the canopy ahead of her.

'Hey, was that a Leaf girl?' Suigetsu had questioned casually, eyebrows raised animatedly as he grinned toothily, some distance behind the Uchiha. 'I wonder what she's doing in a big forest all by herself?'

Karin merely turned up her nose snobbishly.

'Hmph, hiding that terrible hair no doubt. What a colour!'

'And yours is any better?' Suigetsu teased, relishing the furious glare the scarlet-haired kunoichi sent his way.

Ignoring their empty chatter, Sasuke had merely continued on his way, increasing his pace again, eyes locked forward, face perfectly blank.

But one word, both familiar and foreign from memory and lack of use respectively, had echoed in his mind.

_Sakura. _

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

Sasuke dropped onto the slightly raised slope of grass, long legs drawn up in front of him, elbows resting leisurely on the caps of his knees. He was quite content to watch the scenes unfolding before him. He had always preferred to keep to himself and simply watch disinterestedly while other people bustled along, carrying on with their daily lives.

The lingering feeling of having missed out on a large piece of Konoha's history – a feeling of isolation – and knowing that he was responsible for it through his own actions – didn't make things any easier. He had missed the village during the long years he had spent away from it, although he had never allowed himself to admit it while he was gone. Now that he had returned, he often felt as if he no longer really belonged. He no longer had a sense of purpose; he hadn't found a new one, a reason for his being, and over seven months into his return, he often still felt as empty as he had the day his exhausted self, supported by Naruto, had been dragged back to Konoha.

Despite his revenge, despite everything, he still felt incomplete. Dark eyes trailed over familiar faces; they all looked happy. They all looked content with their lot. They all seemed to be complete.

Shikamaru was trying desperately to restrain Chouji from attacking Ino (Sasuke assumed the blonde girl had called her team-mate the 'F' word). Tenten was offering Neji some food, and looked thrilled when he surprised her by accepting. Konohamaru, not such a child anymore, was shouting loudly at a grinning Naruto, who was relishing winding the younger boy up. Sai stood next to the blond shinobi, and Hinata stood behind Naruto, gazing at him with open, blushing adoration. Sasuke silently snorted at that, before his eyes moved to where Shino stood with Lee and Kiba. A short distance away from the group of teenagers stood the older Ninja Academy teachers of Konoha, grouped together, enjoying drinks and enthusiastic conversations. Well, all except Kakashi of course, who had his masked nose stuck in a book which Sasuke was sure he had read a hundred times already. Anko stood beside the silver-haired man, looking exasperated at the vague attention he was giving her.

Sasuke's eyes trailed further to his right, just over his shoulder, where Shizune and Tsunade stood slightly higher up on the sloped bank of grass, observing the peaceful scenes before them contentedly. He looked away, the gentle breeze stirring strands of raven hair across his face. Non ninja civilians littered the area, most of them young teenagers and children. He was more than aware of the group of annoying and unfamiliar girls who stood some distance away from him, under the shade of a tree, gazing his way as they giggled. He coolly ignored them as they whispered and adored him from afar, none possessing the courage to approach the stoic Uchiha, especially not with Tsunade's watchful eye a close distance behind him.

A high pitched laugh reached his ears and his dark eyes lifted again. They scanned through the crowd and locked onto a familiar pink head. Sakura had just hoisted a small child of no more than 3 years up from the grass, and now held him high above her, arms outstretched, head tilted back, laughing at the delighted look on the boy's cherub-like face. The toddler had bright blue eyes and brown hair. Sasuke didn't recognise him; he was just one of the many nameless children in the village as far as the Uchiha was concerned. Sakura spun 360 degrees and the child squealed. She stopped, back turned in Sasuke's direction, as she lowered the boy and placed him snugly on her slender left hip; instinctively, the child's small, plump arms wrapped around the kunoichi's neck. Another slightly older child, a little dusty blonde haired girl, had also approached Sakura and held a flower up to her. Sakura's laughter, light and carefree, reached Sasuke's ears as he watched her place a slender hand on the top of the girl's head.

From the way Sakura engaged with the children, Sasuke knew that some day she would make a good mother to someone's children. She had that caring and nurturing nature, and yet an underlying discipline and firmness. He blinked as he saw Lee join her, taking the flower from the small child next to her and holding it out to the pink-haired girl. Sasuke couldn't see Sakura's expression but she swatted Lee's hand playfully and the youth grinned, cheeks tinged with a blush. Of their own accord, Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly.

The entire scenario of his team-mate holding a child and Lee standing next to her holding out a flower filled the dark-haired shinobi with a strange feeling of something akin to irritation. A sudden thought entered his mind without warning.

_What does he think he's doing?_

He was mildly surprised the moment the words presented themselves in his personal thoughts. Since when did he get annoyed if another guy approached the medic-nin? He shoved the irritation out of his mind. Sakura was her own woman. He reasoned that the only reason he had experienced a vague feeling of displeasure was because Sakura, like Naruto, was one of his most important people. Of course he was going to feel protective of the petite, delicate looking girl. Surely that was only normal? Thankfully, Kiba had just run up to Lee, dragging the lanky boy away from Sakura, who turned her attention back to the child in her arms. After following Lee's form to make sure he had really gone, Sasuke's eyes moved back to his team-mate. He stared a moment, and as his gaze began to move back to the child, his eyes stopped on the circle Haruno emblem on the back of Sakura's red, sleeveless top.

A strange, unbidden feeling filled him briefly as he stared at the symbol, and fleetingly, a faint thought crossed his mind. It was gone before he allowed himself to capture it, and even if he could recall it easily, he did not want to do so. The thought had involved some notion of the Haruno symbol on her back being something else, some other familiar and renowned emblem...

Abruptly he cut the trails of thought off before they could flourish and his eyes shifted to the child in her arms. He was looking straight at Sasuke, big blue orbs seemingly transfixed. Sasuke raised an eyebrow slightly. Ino had just reached Sakura, demanding her friend's attention, grabbing her right hand as she chattered excitedly. Sakura set the child down carefully as Ino leaned in to whisper something to her. The little boy held onto Sakura's left leg a moment, still staring at Sasuke. Then, without warning, he ran forward unsteadily, almost tumbling over a number of times before stopping in front of his new object of curiosity. The toddler raised small hands up to Sasuke's face, touching his cheeks with podgy little fingers.

'Uchiha!' He exclaimed excitedly, pronouncing the name wrong but innocent eyes full of mirth as he poked at the smooth skin of the shinobi's face. 'Uchiha!'

Sasuke stared blankly at the child. Mothers sure taught their kids about clans early, he thought absent-mindedly. Deciding to entertain the child a little, he raised his right hand, holding the index finger a small distance in front of his lips. The child's happy face faltered and he stepped back, falling on his bottom on the grass. Wide eyes looked up at the dark haired young man in front of him in fascination.

'Katon.' Sasuke murmured, carefully concentrating his chakra and lightly blowing out air to produce a tiny burst of flame in the space in front of him.

The little boy blinked and then clapped, laughing in delight as he clumsily got to his feet again, repeating 'Katon!', mimicking Sasuke's gesture with a tiny finger as he did so. He turned and waddled off, presumably to find his parents, shouting 'Katon!' as he ran through the crowds of people.

Sasuke watched the small form retreating, a slight smirk of reluctant amusement tugging at the left corner of his lips. All traces were wiped away when he sensed a gaze on him, and his eyes moved to find Sakura, who stood in the same spot she had been in when setting the child down. Except now she was looking right at him, and something told Sasuke that she had seen his little interaction with the boy. The expression on her face was an odd mix of vague amusement and something Sasuke couldn't quite read in time before she offered him a lopsided smile and quickly turned away, moving toward Naruto.

Sasuke's eyes trailed after her slender figure for a brief moment before slipping away to rest on the grass before him. His thoughts were now empty.

Unbeknown to him, another person had been watching him and Sakura closely.

Tsunade's eyes closed momentarily and a tiny smile formed on her lips as she enjoyed private satisfaction from what she had just seen pass between her prodigy and the last remaining Uchiha. She knew the two were one silent bet she would not lose.

Opening her eyes and pushing the amused thought aside, the sannin turned serious again. It was time to proceed. Clapping her hands, she raised her voice for attention. Everybody instantly quietened respectfully for the Hokage's announcement:

'Hoy! Everybody participating in the race get ready! Be at the starting point in 10 minutes! Not a second later! Understand?!'

Shizune sweat-dropped at the underlying threat. Everybody nodded, thankfully getting the message. The black-haired woman laughed nervously as Tsunade turned to her.

'Shizune!'

'Y...yes Tsunade-sama?'

'Prepare the referees!'

Shizune straightened, nodding furiously.

'Yes Tsunade-sama!'

* * *

_A race? What race?_ Sasuke was vaguely curious. Not that he had any intention of participating. He was a thousand times faster than anybody else in the village. He didn't need to participate in any silly race to prove it either.

He felt a shadow fall over him and raised his head to find Naruto's grinning face. Behind the blond stood Sai, Ino and Shikamaru.

_Oh no_, Sasuke thought. He knew what was coming. He could read Naruto's expression perfectly.

'Teme! Get off your backside right now! The race is starting in ten minutes!' Naruto exclaimed, confirming what Sasuke had already predicted.

'Actually Naruto, it is 9 minutes and 27 seconds.' Sai remarked helpfully. Sasuke glanced disinterestedly at the pale boy. He had never liked Sai and scarcely spoke a word to him; neither did he accept the boy to be a part of Team Seven. Nobody replaced Uchiha Sasuke.

'What race, dobe?' He intoned in a bored manner, eyes moving back to Naruto.

Ino piped up. 'Why the Ribbon Race of course, Sasuke-kun! You know!' She broke off suddenly, before correcting herself. 'Oh, you don't, you weren't here when we started it. Well, Naruto can tell you more about it. Come on Shika-kun, we're so going to win this!' She grabbed her boyfriend by his hand and dragged him away.

Naruto's grin widened. 'Heh heh, the annual race Sasuke!' He turned and looked around the crowds before his eyes locked on his target. 'Hey hey, Sakura-chan, over here!'

Sakura, who had been talking with Hinata, pulled the Hyuuga girl along with her as she approached Naruto. Her eyes rested on Sasuke before turning to her blond friend.

'What, Naruto?'

Sasuke didn't like the mischievous glint in Naruto's bright blue eyes. His dark brows knotted together slightly.

'Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme needs to know the rules of the race. You're competing aren't you?'

Sakura looked surprised. She and Naruto had paired up for the previous two years. Was he going to abandon her this time around?

'Naruto...' She began, confused, but he broke her off.

'Heh heh, sorry Sakura-chan, I'm teaming with Hinata-chan this time and we're gonna win for sure!'

Sakura's eye twitched as Hinata gasped in surprise, cheeks blushed deep red. This was so sudden and unexpected from Naruto! Her heart fluttered deep within her.

'Baka! Are you saying I'd make you lose?!' Sakura demanded.

A slight, smug smirk settled on Sasuke's handsome face as he silently urged the pink-haired girl to teach Naruto a lesson for what he was so obviously trying to do.

Naruto held up his hands defensively, smiling sheepishly as he did so.

'Eheh heh, n...no, no, of course not Sakura-chan! It's just that I wanna team with Hinata this year so I'll let you explain the rules to Sasuke. Ja ne!' He hastily grabbed Hinata's hand. The poor girl looked as if she were about to faint, as Naruto flashed a now glaring Sasuke a knowing grin before speeding off with Hinata in tow.

'Idiot Naruto!' Sakura muttered after the blond shinobi.

Only Sai now remained standing, pondering what kind of bond Hinata had with Naruto. Sakura shifted on her feet on the grass at the silence that followed. Sai felt a piercing stare on him and glanced down at Sasuke questioningly.

'Get lost.' The Uchiha instructed rudely, in his famous monotone voice. He watched as Sai blinked before pasting a fake smile dutifully on his face.

'Good luck to you, Sakura.' He wished the girl beside him, before nodding politely at Sasuke. 'And to you, Sasuke-san.' He then turned and walked away from them, to make his way to the starting point of the race.

Sakura watched him before sighing and turning her eyes back to Sasuke. He was now staring blankly at the space before him.

'You don't have to be so rude to Sai, Sasuke-kun. He might be clueless and annoying, but he means well.'

'Hn.' Sasuke grunted dismissively, clearly indicating that he didn't want to discuss the pale boy any further. Sakura shifted on her feet again. Naruto had abandoned her and now she didn't have a partner. She knew the blond-haired boy's intention; he wanted her to team up with Sasuke. She made a mental note to beat Naruto up later. How dare he try to force them to pair up so obviously, and especially when he knew that Sasuke was bound to refuse? All it did was leave Sakura in an awkward situation. Since when was Naruto this sly?

'W...well!' She said at length, in a voice she cursed for being far too shrill. Accompanied with the uneasy smile she offered the silent shinobi sitting before her, she knew she was giving off a very strange impression to him. Damn it! Since when did she get this nervous in front of Sasuke? Asking him for things had always been so easy for her younger self. But this time she decided to forget about asking altogether. She already knew what his answer would be. Why embarrass herself trying?

'The race is about to start so...see you!' She turned away, hoping to achieve a quick escape. She had expected him to remain silent, and she was surprised when he spoke up. Her entire body tensed, further surprising her.

'Sakura.'

Against her wishes, her heart leapt. The way her name had so silkily rolled off his tongue sounded almost mocking, and full of arrogance. She had never really liked her cliché name. It was way too obvious. But on Sasuke's lips, it sounded wonderful. She mentally berated herself for thinking such things. She had long resolved to give up any thoughts of Sasuke in a romantic light. There was no romance; it had only ever been a fantasy in her childish mind. All she had ever gotten from her dreams was disappointed and rejection. She had vowed that she would never put herself in a position where she could get rejected again. She had pride and not even Naruto's obvious scheming was going to make her go back on her secret, personal promise.

'Yes?' She asked, frozen to the spot, refusing to turn around and look at the Uchiha behind her. Sasuke had picked up on her odd behaviour but to him it was nothing new. Sakura was a strange girl altogether. He had always thought so. She wasn't as decipherable as the other girls in the village, although when Team Seven had first been formed, he had had a very shallow opinion of her which had slowly changed on spending more time together as a team.

'The rules?' Sasuke enquired nonchalantly.

Sakura's heart plummeted. _Oh no_. He couldn't be serious. He wasn't really curious, was he? The race required the boy to carry the girl. Sakura certainly did _not_ want Sasuke to carry her, be it on his back, his shoulders, and God forbid it, most definitely _not_ in those arms of his.

Her inner ego screamed that she knew they both wanted it more than anything. She promptly squished the voice as she turned and grinned sheepishly at Sasuke.

'Eheh heh...really Sasuke-kun, it's...a...actually really stupid...you wouldn't like the race, I mean!' She bit her lower lip as she corrected, 'Not that you wouldn't do well in it, it's just...well...I...I think...' She broke off at the look he was giving her. An eyebrow was raised sardonically at her, in expectation of a proper answer.

Her inner self squealed. He looked insanely handsome. And yet on the outside, she knew she was babbling and making a complete fool of herself. She knew that there was no way out for her now; she would have to tell Sasuke the rules. Defeated, she relented, once again silently screaming that Naruto was definitely in for some punishment later.

Clearing her throat and telling herself to get a grip, she was pleased when her voice came out levelly, even if it did sound a little formal in tone:

'Well Sasuke-kun, the race involves teams of two. One boy and one girl-' At his blank look, she hastily continued, 'The boy has to carry the girl and they compete against the other teams to get as many coloured ribbons as they can. The ribbons are spaced out in different areas along the race course, and as the teams continue along, they become harder to find and reach. The girl has to grab the ribbons while the boy has to avoid the water balloons that the referees fire at all the players.' She paused; Sasuke's face was betraying nothing of what he thought of the rules so far. Taking a deep breath, she continued,

'Players lose points for every time they're hit by the balloons. You can steal the other player's ribbons, and you're given a single kunai to use to retrieve ribbons, but if you hurt anyone with the kunai, you get disqualified. The team with the most ribbons at the end of the race wins! If you get back to the starting point first you win triple bonus points too, which are then added to the total ribbon tally points, to determine the winning team. And that's all there is to it!'

Sasuke was staring at her with the same blank expression he had had plastered on his face before she had begun her long explanation.

Carry Sakura to obtain ribbons while avoiding water-balloon firing referees?

...

He'd rather pass.

He blinked, and then turned his head away dismissively.

'Aaa.' He said at length. 'That is stupid.'

Silently, he added, _Trust the dobe to be so excited over such a childish game_.

Despite expecting his answer, Sakura still felt a tinge of disappointment. But she promptly plastered a (fake) bright smile on her face and prepared to leave the Uchiha to his own devices.

'Well, it's a silly waste of time, but it's kind of fun...' Ouch. Sasuke didn't do fun. Sakura knew she had to get away before she made an even bigger fool of herself than she already had.

She raised a slender hand to wave at him.

'See you then Sasu-' She was cut off when a flash of green appeared at her side. Sasuke turned his head and his eyes marginally widened just in time to see Lee drop to one knee on the grass in front of the stunned kunoichi.

'Sakura-san!' He declared, holding up a fist and gazing up at her with odd, round eyes. 'The Flower of My Youth! Please do me the honour of participating in the Ribbon Race as my partner! With my youthful speed, we are sure to be crowned winners of this contest!'

Sakura sweat-dropped. Sasuke glared at Lee, one corner of his lips turning upwards in a faint sneer of disgust. Something lurched deep within his chest; a mix of annoyance and possessiveness; except Sasuke didn't directly realise that this was what the feeling was. How pathetic. Mr. Fuzzy-Brows actually had the nerve to put on this corny display right in front of him? Did the fool not see him sitting there?

'U...uh...um...w...well, I...I mean...I guess if...' Sakura stuttered, thoroughly embarrassed by Lee's bold display. Sasuke decided to save her any further blushes. Closing his eyes and raising clasped hands to rest in front of his mouth in a signature brooding Sasuke stance, he addressed Lee icily,

'You.'

Lee blinked, as if noticing Sasuke for the first time.

'Ah! S...Sasuke!'

Sasuke waited a few moments for effect, before opening onyx eyes. They locked on Lee, piercing and ominous.

'Beat it.' He said flatly.

Sakura stared down at him, small, rosy lips parted slightly in surprise. When Lee didn't move, Sasuke put to rest any confusion by adding, 'She's with me.'

His tone of voice indicated there was no room for negotiation over the matter.

Sakura was aware that she was gaping less than gracefully and promptly clamped her hanging jaw shut, the blush increasing in her cheeks. She couldn't believe it. Sasuke was agreeing to team with her? It had to be some sort of joke. But the Uchiha stood swiftly, and walked over to Sakura. He towered over Lee's kneeling form, the inner tints of his dark irises beginning to show faint streaks of crimson red as he glared threateningly at the lanky youth. He was silently daring Lee to challenge his authority. Sakura looked back and forth between the two nervously for a moment.

Lee got the message loud and clear. He hopped lithely back to his feet and flashed his 'good guy' pose.

'I see! Well Sakura-san, I wish you and your partner the best of luck!' With that he sped off to find his second choice of team-mate before Sakura could apologise and thank him.

Sasuke glared after Lee's rapidly disappearing form. Damn it. He'd said it now, and he couldn't go back on his word. In truth, the only reason he had agreed was because he didn't want anybody else teaming with Sakura. He didn't want anybody else touching her; especially not Lee, who was already sickly besotted with Konoha's precious cherry blossom without needing the excuse of carrying her in his arms.

Sasuke would not have minded Naruto pairing with Sakura but since the blond had conveniently decided to team with the Hyuuga girl, the Uchiha supposed he really didn't have a choice.

The annoying pink-haired girl in question turned wide apple-green eyes up to him, her face still etched with surprise.

'Sasuke-kun-' She began, but was promptly cut off by a less-than-thrilled Sasuke.

'Don't talk. I will change my mind.' He muttered, turning from her side and stalking off to follow after the crowds who were making their way to the starting point of the race.

Sakura stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, merely watching as he walked off. When she didn't move, Sasuke stopped, silently waiting for her to catch up to him. The kunoichi finally snapped out of her stunned state and hurried after the tall shinobi, as Tsunade's voice echoed ahead in a microphone speaker.

'Five minutes!'

**Author's Note**

_Chapter 2's done! I hope my non-dialogue descriptive writing at the start wasn't too long and detailed. I felt like I dragged it out a little but it's needed to set the scene! Please leave a review for me letting me know what you think! xD To the awesome BlueGreenApples, I really hope you liked this chapter! I'll start on the next one as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!_


	3. The Race: Part I

_Wow everyone; thanks so much for all the reviews of the last chapter! I'm going to try to get around to replying to them. I'm really falling behind with my authorly duties on this site, lol. Anyways, I'm going to make an __important point in the Author's Note, but before that, enjoy the chapter! It's the longest yet, believe it XD!_

_Note: To really build the mood, I recommend you all listen to the awesome Naruto Shippuuden track **''Taiji'' (Track 23) **while reading the flashback scene below. This track actually plays in the anime during the Reunion scene where Sasuke immobilizes Naruto and Sai, and when Sakura prepares to attack him. You'll find the mp3 here (I didn't upload it lol). Replace all (forward slashes) and (dot)s and (equals) with their actual respective symbols on your keyboard:_

_http:(2 forward slashes)audio(dot)isg(dot)si(forward slash)audiox(forward slash)?q(equals)node(forward slash)18026_

_I've put the link up on my profile too, under Naruto updates, in case the above doesn't work lol. Anyways, enough from me, on with the story!_

**Chapter III: The Race - Part I**

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

The captivating scream of Chidori Nagashi was deafening.

As the blinding blue-white energy surged from his form and expanded to ensnare all around him in a painful web of numbing electricity, Sakura squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the painful shock that was about to assault her senses.

After a few brief seconds, when nothing but cold air brushed over her, she hesitantly opened an eye. The other followed suite and she stared in a mixture of disbelief and awe. Despite the horror of the situation, the devastating beauty of the attack could not be denied.

Sasuke's chakra was a mere arm's length before her, crackles of electricity snaking out but stopping just short of inflicting their punishment on her already tormented nervous system. Fleetingly, she tried to account for the miss, wildly wondering if it was even possible that he had somehow miscalculated the distance between his body and her own. But the thought soon evaporated into nothingness as concern overwhelmed her. Naruto, Sai and Captain Yamato hadn't been so lucky in escaping Sasuke's lightning wrath.

Sakura's heart pounded in response to the devastating display of skill and power that she had just witnessed. Her eyes were wide with shock and for the first time, she was afraid. Not afraid for Sasuke - but afraid _of_ him.

He radiated menace that dripped with violent killing intent.

_A full-body Chidori!_ The nature of his attack finally sunk into her intelligent but greatly stunned mind. He had tossed Naruto and Sai aside, and quelled the threat from Yamato, with such careless ease and grace. He had gotten the upper hand so quickly.

Sasuke had always been incredibly skilled. But just how much had he advanced in his years of absence from the village?

Frantically, her eyes moved to the fallen form of Sai. Sasuke was looking at him intently with an unreadable expression on his face. The electric energy around him continued to crackle before gradually fading. All that remained in its wake was a gentle breeze like the calm after the storm.

Her eyes darted back to the tall Uchiha, and the shock of seeing just how much he had grown and changed assaulted her senses once again. In a mixture of frustration and desperation, she shoved the thoughts from her mind. Sasuke was completely ignoring Naruto on the floor behind him. There had to be a reason why he was choosing to focus on Sai. Then it all clicked into place in her head. Somehow, the coral-haired girl knew that if Sai attempted to get up again, it would be his last stand.

Her heart skipped several beats as she rapidly considered her options. She knew that up until then she had played to the raven-haired nukenin's expectations. She had remained motionless and essentially useless. She was afraid of him, so much so that her insides were trembling. This hadn't been the way she had wanted to encounter him again. She didn't _want_ to fight him. And yet she couldn't deny the truth that he had so ruthlessly presented to them all. Sasuke would not go back to Konoha willingly. He would not hold back to ward them off. He would not hesitate to incapacitate and severely injure them.

A distant yet distinct memory broke through her catatonic state; her words to Naruto years ago; her promise that she would no longer get in the way; that next time she would help and not hinder her blond friend. The promise sparked strength within her, growing like a furious fire, sending courage coursing through her veins.

Sakura had not become stronger and undergone years of gruelling training to fall at the final hurdle. She had not come so far to do nothing but watch as this opportunity slipped through her very fingers. She had dreamt and hoped for this day for so many nights, so many years on end. Her broken heart could no longer take it, could no longer allow her to stand aside and do nothing.

Naruto and Sai were down. Yamato was still stunned from the crackles of electricity that had broken off his attack. Only she had been untouched by Sasuke's malicious energy.

Her anxious expression hardened and her slender eyebrows pulled together as she gritted her teeth and directed a fierce glare at the dark haired shinobi standing ahead of her. It was up to her now. She would not, could not, let Naruto down.

_I...I'll stop Sasuke-kun with my own power!_ The adrenaline-filled thought raced through her mind and gave her strength, propelling her trembling body forward.

She would stop Sasuke. Or she would die trying to protect her team.

From the corner of his vision, he detected sudden movement to his far left. He was all too aware of who it was that had been standing motionlessly moments earlier, also staring at the fallen form of the pale boy named 'Sai'.

But it seemed impossible. He was somewhat caught by surprise and his brows knotted together as the faintest flicker of incredulity registered on his face for a split second before promptly being extinguished by the flame of indifference. It could not be. And yet, as his eyes slowly drew away from his replacement and he turned his head to give the incoming whirl of pink and red his full attention, he saw that it very much was the impossible.

_Sakura._

Haruno Sakura. The clinging, crying, useless, tag-along kunoichi from his former team was running _at_ him. Not to him, as she had often done in their Genin days. She was charging right at him. It was such an alien sight, that for a long moment, Sasuke merely stood, motionless, watching as her slender form hurtled toward him, making no move to meet her attack or defend against it.

His Sharingan eyes stopped on her face for a brief moment. Her apple green eyes were darker than he remembered. They were hard. There were no tears shining in their depths. Her lips were set in a grim and determined line. She had never given him a look other than worry or hopelessly infatuated, blushing smiles. This new expression made her seem different. And, up until then, her silence had also been uncharacteristic of the Sakura he remembered.

As his eyes flickered from her glaring face to her small, chakra charged, tightly curled fist, Sasuke blankly registered that it seemed that she had changed a little too. After all, she was defending Naruto.

But one thing about her had not changed; her impulsiveness to jump into battle blindly; her tendency to get in the way.

_Foolish, Sakura_, Sasuke thought. She was rapidly closing the distance between them and he conceded that it seemed she had gotten a little faster. Perhaps, in his absence, she had finally been able to move on, doing the sensible thing and choosing to focus on her training instead. He analysed her movement intently for clues, trying to judge the exact nature of the chakra flaring in her right fist. A small part of his mind was almost curious to see what she would do, what she thought she _could_ do. She had always been so useless. Now here she was, flying at him, fist drawn back, silent, glaring and determined.

Perhaps it was she who had changed the most.

A few short moments later and she started to get too close. He had to take action. She was insignificant and he reasoned that he did not need to attack her straight on, did not need to waste energy and chakra dealing with her. Deciding to remain in his position and counter rather than take her out directly, Sasuke blinked and finally raised his right arm, shifting his hold on the Kusanagi. His crimson eyes fixed onto her face as she came at him, remaining utterly devoid of emotion. He knew he could easily subdue her in a mere split second, and yet his feet remained firmly in place, save for the slight shift as he turned his body to face her, turning his back to the others.

Charging a small flicker of Chidori Nagashi into his blade, he held it back and away from his body at an angle which, to the eye of a neutral beholder of the battle, seemed almost awkward given the obvious skill he commanded with the weapon. To the eye of a warrior trained in the use of swords, it was clear that Sasuke had the intent to parry the incoming threat rather than severely injure it.

She drew ever closer and still he did not move. He had admittedly expected her to falter and stop but she had not. How foolish. How annoying. He did not want to face her; he had no interest in her. It was for this same reason alone that he had spared her the agony of Chidori Nagashi. She was nothing. She was _weak_. He knew he should have finished her already but still he merely watched, Kusanagi crackling with a weak flow of electricity. Nothing like the intensity it had held when he had discarded Naruto and Sai.

To the neutral beholder, it almost seemed as though the Uchiha were holding back deliberately. It almost seemed as though he were hesitating, or equally as impossibly, stalling.

She was now far too close for comfort and he knew he had to act. It was clear that she was serious in her attacking intent. Sasuke sensed movement behind him and he chose that moment to surge forward. In impeccable timing, Kakashi's replacement intercepted and Sasuke's eyes immediately moved from Sakura's startled face to her brown-haired team leader. Now the raven-haired Uchiha did not hold back. Increasing chakra flow immediately into the Kusanagi, he stabbed forward, slicing through the kunai that the older shinobi had chosen as a pathetic form of defence like a hot knife through butter. The blade impaled into the man's shoulder as Sasuke pressed forward with force, sending the team leader to the floor, crashing against a crumbled boulder, the crackling blade driving deeper into the wound.

'Captain Yamato!' Sakura's voice was full of shock and concern. Her eyes darted to Sasuke, wide and horrified, but he did not meet her gaze again. Her heart plummeted and her spirits fell. Once again, someone had gotten hurt because of her. Even when she hadn't meant to, she had still gotten in the way.

But Sasuke was oblivious to her misery. Keeping his emotionless eyes fixed on the cringing man sprawled on the floor before him, he stated in devastating monotone,

'That was the wrong way to block my attack.'

* * *

.'End/Flashback"'

* * *

The crowds of people had flocked to the start of the race course directly outside the gates of Konoha. Sasuke stopped abruptly, the vague beginnings of a scowl settling on his handsome features. The race was taking place beyond the gates - outside of the village; but he was confined to remain in it until he served the full duration of his sentence.

Why had Naruto tried to fix him up into competing when he knew that Sasuke was unable to leave the village? Had the blond seriously forgotten? It seemed like an impossible and incredibly dense thing to do, even by the blond boy's standards. For a brief moment the Uchiha thought he was saved. It seemed he would be unable to team with Sakura after all, and it was too late for her to pair with anybody else.

Behind him, the coral-haired girl unintentionally stopped beside the lone bench that was on the side of the path leading to the village's front gates. Unbidden, memories of the last time she had stood at the very same spot with Sasuke many years ago flooded her mind. Angrily she pushed them away. She was sure he didn't remember it, and even if he did, he wouldn't give it a second thought or dwell on its insignificance.

A few people streamed past them, and at Sasuke's unmoving form, Konoha's precious cherry blossom called out to him.

'Sasuke-kun?' Her eyes moved from his form, to the front gates, and back to Sasuke in understanding. Close to the entrance to the village stood Tsunade, hands on her voluptuous hips, sending a grim look Sasuke's way. Sakura was surprised when her teacher motioned with her head for Sasuke to join her.

He cautiously began to move toward the Hokage. When he reached her, she looked at him with the same threatening expression. She motioned with Sakura to stay in her position before turning her eyes back to Sasuke.

'Hoy, Sasuke.' She said and her voice was utterly formidable. 'If you drop Sakura, I'll have you thrown into prison and left to rot! Do you understand me?'

Surprised at her unexpected words but being careful not to show it, Sasuke slightly raised a sardonic eyebrow. He had left the village and avoided prison. Was dropping Sakura a greater crime than abandoning Konoha? More importantly, was Tsunade really going to let him race, even if it went against her and the council's strict orders for him to remain in Konoha under heavy supervision at all times?

'Are you forgetting the sentence you handed me?' Sasuke intoned, the faintest hint of mockery seeping into his smooth voice. 'I am not permitted to leave the village. If I participate in this race, it means-'

He saw the anger flare in the temperamental woman's eyes as she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and jerked him close to her, cutting him off aggressively. She was a tall woman and Sasuke didn't dwarf her like he did most other females.

'Don't play smart with me, Uchiha!' She snapped, making sure to keep her voice low lest Sakura overheard their exchange. 'If you set even a single toe outside the designated race course, I'll increase your sentence by a further 20 years! Do you understand?!'

Sasuke fought the urge to smirk smugly. It seemed that the dobe had known what he was doing after all. He had clearly made sure that Tsunade would allow the former nukenin to participate before forcing his best friend to team with Sakura. Sasuke nodded stiffly at the blonde woman, knowing he couldn't afford to push his luck. Tsunade gave him a final glare before releasing him roughly and nodding back at Sakura, who had been standing back, watching in alarm.

'She is a lady, Sasuke! You will carry her like one!' Tsunade barked at him, then turned away to prepare for the final announcements before the beginning of the race. The Uchiha glanced back at Sakura, and as he did so, his eyes briefly stopped on the bench to her right. It was a familiar spot and he had stood there with Sakura a number of times. Unbidden, the vivid memory of the last and most significant time flooded his mind and he shoved it away in irritation. He had done what he had needed to do. For some unknown reason, that particular night, including her tearful confession of undying love for him, had always stuck in his mind. It was a memory that had stubbornly refused to fade, unlike many others. He looked away as Sakura approached him, hands clasped behind her back.

'What did Tsunade-shishou say?' She asked curiously, knowing that her mentor had already reluctantly consented to Sasuke participating in the race the previous day, if he wished to do so. Sasuke merely grunted dismissively and began to resume his walk to the front gates. Sakura sighed and followed after him.

When Sasuke reached the gates, he unconsciously hesitated. The contestants had gathered just outside the village entrance, standing in a neat line with their partners. On either side of the race course were crowds of village spectators behind rope barriers, all the way down the length of the course until it disappeared into the beginning of the forest surrounding the Hidden Leaf village. Bright flags and streaming banners rippled in the wind and refreshment stalls were set up on both sides of the spectator areas. Some of the villagers began whispering as they saw Sasuke standing by the gates. Sasuke knew what they were thinking and saying. He shoved his hands into his baggy trouser pockets, turning his head dismissively. Tsunade stood in front of the barriers, microphone announcer in her hand. She watched Sasuke intently.

He then felt an arm drape leisurely around him, and his muscles reflexively tensed at the contact. He looked to his left to find Kakashi, who had his other arm around Sakura's shoulders. His eye was smiling as he addressed his former students.

'Let's put that great speed to good use, hey, Sasuke?'

'Hn.' Was all the Uchiha offered. The silver-haired copy ninja sighed tiredly at the unenthusiastic response, body slouching slightly, before he brightened up again and turned his attention to Sakura. Sasuke noticed that the man had walked them both out of the front gates, the arms around their shoulders firm and insistent. No doubt he had noticed Sasuke's hesitation and Sakura's visible uneasiness, and decided to help out in his subtle way.

'Now Sakura, I'm expecting a Team 7 victory!'

The pink-haired Medic Nin sighed. 'You and Gai-sensei never stop competing, do you, Kakashi-sensei?'

'No, no it isn't that at all!' Kakashi insisted, lone eye crinkling shut, but his higher pitch gave his intentions away.

Sakura rolled her eyes. It seemed that their former teacher had put a large wager on their winning. Said person gave them both a gentle push forward, tapping them lightly on their shoulders.

'Good luck!' He wished them, before stepping away from the race course, to join the other Academy staff at the sidelines. Sasuke took the chance to assess the competition. To his far left, an emotional looking Lee was receiving an enthusiastic speech from Gai, who was encouraging him to win. Behind him was a rather embarrassed Tenten. The Uchiha noticed Neji to the left side of the race course, glowering at Lee. The Hyuuga was standing on crutches, nursing a bandaged left ankle. He seemed very displeased at having to sit the race out.

To Lee and Tenten's right stood Chouji and an unfamiliar blonde girl. The big-boned shinobi was munching on some pre-race snacks to give him energy for the task ahead. Next to them stood Ino and Shikamaru; the Nara already carried the blonde girl on his back. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, giggling as she whispered something that made Shikamaru blush faintly. Next to them stood two pairs of unfamiliar ninja; a brown-haired boy and a purple-haired girl, and a red-haired boy with a black-haired girl. Sasuke finally looked to his right, where Naruto stood, loudly proclaiming to some excited children in the crowd that he was going to win this year for sure. Hinata looked stunned, as if she still thought it was all a dream.

Sasuke heard Kiba, who stood with an unfamiliar brown-haired girl, address Hinata.

'Hey, Hinata, we may be Team 8, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna go easy on you!'

'K...Kiba-kun!' Hinata stammered, blushing. 'N...Naruto-kun and...and I...we...'

'Will lose!' Kiba said, and released a loud laugh. Next to him, Akamaru barked his agreement, although he was disappointed at having to sit the race out.

Naruto turned on him, pointing a finger dramatically at the young man. 'Eh?! You think you and Miss Nameless are gonna beat me and Hinata-chan?!'

Sakura's eyebrows twitched. Naruto was being impolite again.

'Without your dog you'll be crawling back over the finish line hours after Hinata-chan and I win it!' Here the blond boy threw a casual arm around the Hyuuga girl, flashing a disarming grin at her. 'Right, Hinata-chan?'

The poor girl blushed a deeper red and struggled to speak. Sakura sweat-dropped and glanced at Sasuke, who was giving Naruto his usual 'What a Dobe', look. She sighed as Naruto turned away from a glaring Kiba, and fixed his attention on Sakura and Sasuke. He came rushing over, a huge grin on his face.

'Hey, hey, Sakura-chan, I knew you could persuade the teme to take part! Saskaaay! I'm gonna kick your ass in this race, just you wait!' He then looked at an annoyed Sakura with big blue eyes. 'Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan wanted to speak to you!' He said.

'Huh?' Sakura frowned, confused. 'But the race is starting now.'

'Quick, quick, before it begins!' Naruto urged, and a sly look planted itself on his face as the pink-haired girl moved away toward Hinata. The blond turned back to a suspicious looking Sasuke.

'Psst, teme!' Naruto whispered loudly, leaning in a little too close for the raven-haired boy's comfort. 'How are you gonna carry Sakura-chan?! She only ever let me carry her on my back, but what about you, eh, eh?' A perverted smile crossed his lips as he added, 'On your shoulders? On your back...? Or...in your arms?!'

Sasuke glared. 'Shut up, Dobe.' He bit through gritted teeth, as Naruto cackled in glee at his uncomfortable reaction. But a slight smirk formed on the Uchiha's lips as his onyx eyes moved from Naruto's face to rest behind him.

A tap on the blond boy's shoulder made him stop short in his chuckling, and he turned to find Sakura, smiling sweetly. He gulped. Had she overheard him?

'Eheh heh...S...Sakura-chan, did you speak to-'

Before he could finish his sentence, he was seeing spinning stars.

'BAKA!'

'O...ow...geez Sakura-chan...y...you didn't have to punch me so hard!' Naruto whined, as a gasping Hinata rushed over to comfort him as best she could.

Naruto stumbled away from the pair, clutching his head in pain. Sakura rubbed the knuckles of her right hand in satisfaction, as she turned her attention back to Sasuke.

Tsunade's voice crackled over the microphone.

'Alright, it's almost time for the race to begin. All spectators keep off the race course and behind the barriers at all times! Now Shizune is going to remind you all of the rules of the race! Shizune!'

Shizune raised her microphone and addressed the crowds as Yamato handed out a single kunai to each team.

'Y...yes! Thank you Tsunade-sama! As I'm sure everybody remembers from last year, the current holders of the winners crown are...Neji and Tenten! Since Neji is unable to participate this year, Lee and Tenten are the players to beat!'

Neji positively sulked at Gai's side.

'The aim of the race is to obtain as many ribbons as possible whilst avoiding the referees! And...all players must keep within the designated race course! A bright yellow line will warn you if you are approaching an out of bounds area. All players are permitted to use a single kunai for the purpose of obtaining ribbons! If your kunai injures another player, you are instantly disqualified!'

The dark-haired woman glanced at a paper in her hand before continuing, 'There are 8 teams competing this year, so a total of 14 referees will be participating in the race. The team that collects the most ribbons and receives the lowest amount of water-balloon hits from the referees wins! The team that obtains the golden ribbon at the end of the race course wins triple bonus points. And the team that makes it back to the finishing line first also wins triple bonus points!'

Tsunade spoke up again.

'Thank you Shizune! Each team may use their strengths to their advantages, but under no circumstances may you injure your fellow contestants! Anybody who attempts to leave the designated race area in order to take a short cut or anybody else who tries to cheat will be disqualified! Do you understand?! The referees will be tracking your every move, so don't you dare try anything, understood?!'

Nobody dared to argue. The Hokage smiled serenely as she raised a hand to begin the countdown.

'Teams, get ready to begin!'

Lee had Tenten balanced precariously on his shoulders. 'I will win this, Gai-sensei!' He raised a fist at his proud teacher. 'I will make you proud!'

'L...Lee, stop moving around so much and get ready!' Tenten called down to him.

Chouji was still munching on his snacks, carrying his team-mate on his shoulders as if she didn't weigh a thing.

Ino stuck a tongue out at Sakura as she clung onto Shikamaru.

'Hey, Forehead! I'm going to steal all your ribbons!' She teased.

'We'll just see about that, Ino-pig!' Sakura called back playfully, confident that with Sasuke's speed and skill, she would be the winner this time.

'Teme, that Golden Ribbon is mine!' Naruto called to Sasuke, who was finally caught up in the competitive spirit.

'Heh.' He smirked confidently. 'If you can reach it first, Dobe.'

'I'm gonna beat you all!' Kiba exclaimed, carrying his partner on his back. The two unknown teams were declining to comment, instead staring ahead with an intense look of determination on their faces.

Hinata looked anxious as she gripped onto Naruto's head for dear life. The boy had hoisted her onto his shoulders and assured her that he wouldn't let her fall off. Still, given how many times he had dropped poor Sakura the previous years, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

'Players, ready!' Tsunade barked into the microphone, as the crowd cheered enthusiastically for their favourite teams.

'Go, go Naruto and Hinata!'

'Naruto-kun, you're the best!'

'Kiba-kun, Kiba-kun!'

'Team 8 rules! Kiba or Hinata, please win!'

'Ino, Ino, Ino!'

'Shikamaru! You're the greatest, win this!'

'Chouji!'

'Oh, Lee, YOUTH WILL PREVAIL!'

'Tenten, make it a double!'

'Sakura, you and Sasuke can win this!'

'Sasuke-kuuun!'

'Three!' Tsunade shouted.

Sakura looked at Sasuke expectantly. Why hadn't he picked her up yet? But her team-mate was staring ahead coolly, seemingly oblivious to her beside him.

'Two!' The crowd cried.

Sasuke reached out and firmly took hold of Sakura's left wrist.

'Heh, heh, I'm gonna win this!' Naruto yelled.

'One!'

Sasuke pulled Sakura closer.

'GO!' Tsunade and the crowd shouted in unison, and the teams were off.

* * *

For Sakura, it all happened in a blur. One moment, she was standing on the ground next to Sasuke, and the next, colours were streaming past her. It took her a moment to regain her senses, and when she did, she realised that Sasuke had slung her swiftly on his back. She clung onto him, the sheer speed at which he travelled disorientating her.

'S...Sasuke-kun!' She called breathlessly. If they moved this fast, surely they would miss all the ribbons!

But Sasuke knew what he was doing. The cheers of the crowd quickly drowned away as he entered the forest first, already ahead of the other teams. Sunlight streamed through the canopy of leaves high above. Sasuke then slowed down, keen eyes scanning the location for ribbons. Sakura, recovering from the initial shock of travelling so quickly, did the same.

A flutter of light blue suddenly caught her eye.

'Sasuke-kun, up there!' She exclaimed, pointing up at a very low branch on a tree to their right. Sasuke swiftly moved toward it and Sakura snagged it easily, looping the ribbon around her neck.

Behind them, they heard rustling and then a loud crash. The competition had clearly caught them up, but they already had one ribbon.

'TEME!' Came Naruto's loud yell. 'No way I'm gonna lose to you!'

'N...Naruto-kun!' Hinata alerted him to a pale yellow ribbon to their left, and Naruto momentarily forgot about taunting and moved to allow his partner to reach it. Sakura threw a glance back over her shoulder, to see Ino and Shikamaru behind them. The girl had a bright green ribbon in her hand and she waved it at Sakura mockingly.

'FOREHEAD!' Ino intoned sweetly, but a blur of black suddenly materialised beside her and she screeched, causing Sakura to grin triumphantly.

'Shika-kun, a referee!'

Shikamaru cursed as the referee fired a water-balloon at them, only narrowly avoiding being hit.

'Geez Ino, stop being troublesome and pay more attention!' The Nara muttered to his girlfriend.

The ground shook as Chouji came rolling down the forest path. He smacked into one of the unknown teams, causing the purple-haired girl to scream as she dropped her ribbon. Chouji's partner grabbed it, smiling happily as she and her team-mate continued on their way.

Sasuke knew that he had to use his speed strategically if he wanted to maintain an advantage. An orange ribbon caught his attention and he veered left toward it. It was higher up than the previous ribbon, and as they neared it, a flash of green drew up beside them.

'Sakura-san!' Lee greeted the pink-haired girl. 'Please forgive me!'

He raced forward, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed. No way was Fuzzy Brows going to get the better of him. He stepped up a gear and easily caught the lanky boy up. Tenten seized the opportunity to throw a fluttering scroll toward Sakura, with the intention of stealing her ribbon.

'Sasuke-kun!' Sakura called, alerting the Uchiha to the threat. He ducked out of the way, and when Tenten followed up with another fluttering scroll, the raven-haired shinobi knew he had to get Sakura out of the way. Thinking quickly, he slung Sakura off his back and brought her around to hold her in front of him. An unbidden jolt of electricity shot through Sakura's body as a hand brushed lightly over the curve of her hip and one steely arm firmly wrapped around her waist, pressing her back against a warm body. Tingles assaulted her as his light breath fanned against the strands of hair over her left ear. She was furious at her body's reaction. What was the big deal? It wasn't as though Sasuke had never carried her before. In fact, of all the girls in the village, she was the one he had carried the most in the past. This wasn't anything new. She didn't feel for him in _that_ way anymore. So why was her heart racing, and why was her body reacting like this?

Secretly, she knew the answer. The last time Sasuke had carried her like this had been way back in their Genin days. That had been years ago. She had been a child. Now, at 17, she was almost a fully-grown woman.

She mentally shook the thought off. If she kept this up, they would be sure to lose the race, and she knew that Sasuke was in it to win it. She couldn't let him down.

Sasuke's other hand held out the kunai threateningly as he kept an eye on Lee and Tenten. As Gai's students closed in to obtain the ribbon, a blur of black materialised behind them. Two ninja referees, clad entirely in black, their faces obscured behind masks and goggles protecting their eyes, held up their water-balloon guns.

'Lee, get out the way!' Tenten cried.

Sasuke silently cursed as a water-balloon hurtled toward him and Sakura. He had no choice but to leave the ribbon behind and take to the trees. Picking up speed, he kicked onto a tree and jumped up high into the branches, obscured from the view of the referees. Another ribbon was just up ahead, and Sasuke moved gracefully to it, allowing Sakura to seize it. As they continued on their way, they were beaten to another ribbon by Kiba and his partner, who also had a total of two.

Sasuke frowned slightly. They weren't doing well enough. He changed direction, moving to a tree to their right, where two more ribbons were waiting. Since they were placed close to each other, Sasuke reasoned that momentarily splitting ways would be the best route to acquiring both ribbons.

'Sakura.' He said quietly, but she heard him perfectly over the sound of rustling leaves and rushing breeze. 'I'll go for the ribbon below. Meet me on the ground.'

'Yes!' Sakura nodded, as Sasuke deposited her on a branch and dove to retrieve the ribbon below. Sakura hurried along the body of the branch, reaching out to snag the lilac ribbon. But as she did so, one of the unknown teams pounced and assailed her, reaching the lilac ribbon first and turning their attention to Sakura's collection.

'Those ribbons are ours, pretty girl!' The red-haired boy grinned, reaching out to grab them from her. Sakura backed away, hands closing into fists, ready to evade any attempts to steal her ribbons, when a blur of black, white and dark blue intercepted. The red-haired boy's eyes widened in surprise as intense Sharingan locked onto him.

'You don't touch her.' Sasuke uttered in a low, ominous tone of voice before twirling the kunai around the index finger of his right hand and releasing it. Sakura couldn't help but marvel at the speed and grace at which her team-mate moved.

The humble kunai hurtled toward the red-head's team-mate, who cried out as it tore a ribbon from her arm, embedding in the trunk of the opposite tree with the green strip of material knotted around the handle of the weapon.

'Damn it!' The red-haired boy snapped at his stunned team-mate. 'Don't just stand there, get it back, quick!'

But Sasuke was too fast. He had already carried Sakura onto his back and reached the kunai with the ribbon. As they moved to lower ground, Naruto cut across their path. Hinata also held four ribbons.

'Not bad, teme!' The blond grinned at his best friend. 'But give it up! Hinata-chan can see all the hidden ribbons with her Byakuugan, you can't beat that!'

'Watch me, dobe!' Sasuke retorted haughtily. Nothing could beat the devastating combination of his speed and the Sharingan.

Naruto relished the trash talk, and turned his attention to the other member of Team 7. 'Sakura-chaaan!' He whined regretfully. 'I promise I'll buy you ramen later to make up for stealing your ribbons!'

'Idiot!' Sakura called back. 'You're broke, so leave our ribbons alone!'

Naruto merely chuckled and closed in for the kill. But as Hinata reached out to try and steal Sakura's ribbons, a referee materialised before them. Another two followed suite and all three simultaneously fired double-rounds of water-balloons. Sasuke's fast reflexes alone saved him from being hit. Naruto wasn't so quick to react.

'Aw, shi-!' Before the blond could finish his curse, he was smacked by two balloons which exploded on impact, sending water all over Naruto and a mortified Hinata.

Sasuke sniggered, but instantly regretted it as Sakura's shrill cry alerted him to the fact that they weren't out of deep water yet. Three referees had surrounded them and raised their guns.

Sasuke silently swore and managed to avoid two balloons. One of the referees moved in front of them and fired another round. Again Sasuke manoeuvred between them but one of the balloons caught him off guard. It slammed into the side of his face, sending water all over his head and Sakura's. She squealed and spluttered as the Uchiha angrily upped the pace, hurtling away from the danger and away from Naruto's loud laughter.

_Damn it_, the Uchiha thought, annoyed. He had expected to cross the finish line dry with a flawless record. But the referees were clearly smarter than he had anticipated. To his surprise, Sakura behind him was laughing. As she clung onto him, arms wrapped around his neck, drenched in water and travelling at super speed, it was clear that she was having a fabulous time.

He let the irritation fade away at the soothing sound of her delighted laughter, silently vowing that there was no way he would let them get caught out by the referees again.

Moving to low ground again, Chouji's rolling form was the next to confront them. Sasuke easily swept to the left to avoid the attack, but Kiba and his partner drew up beside them.

'Sasuke, your speed's useless in this task!' Kiba taunted, when Lee drew up beside him in turn. Tenten stole one of Kiba's partner's ribbons and the young man went wild.

Lee was apologetic.

'Forgive me Kiba-kun, but I promised Gai-sensei that Youth would prevail, and-'

'LEE, LOOK OUT!' Tenten cried.

'-Oh, no!' Lee exclaimed, fuzzy brows rising comically as a water-balloon struck him and a squealing, furious Tenten.

Sasuke smirked as he pulled away, taking to higher ground once more. Though he would never admit it out loud, the race was certainly proving to be more entertaining than he had originally expected.

**Author's Note**

_Phew, Chapter 3 is finally done! I'm sorry it took so long to put up. I've just been so busy! On the plus side, this chapter is like 6,000 words dudes. Should make up for the slow update lol. Sooo, did you all like the Reunion scene flashback? I did XD. And there were subtle hints of SasuSaku in this, which will intensify in the following chapters, mwaha! I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter, because I'll be addressing Sasuke's thoughts and reactions to carrying Sakura a lot more. Should be fun! xD Anyways, I was a bit unsure about whether I've described the race well so far. It's not easy keeping track of the other players when all I really want to do is focus on Sasuke and Sakura lol. But I hope I've managed OK so far. Please let me know what you all think, especially with regards to characterization of the other characters. I'd really appreciate the feedback! _

_OK, now **THIS IS IMPORTANT.TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE READING THIS STORY BUT NOT REVIEWING, **and by that I mean those of you adding it to your alerts and faves list but NOT taking the time to submit a short review! This is driving me mad. Please guys and girls, there're a lot of you silent readers and it's frustrating. Reviews really keep me going, so please can you start giving me some feedback? How much time and effort does it take to write, like, dunno, three words? Two? One?! Seriously there're too many of you doing this and it's worrying me. Especially for this fic in particular, the majority of people reading aren't leaving reviews! It's not a fair or cool thing to do. If you're enjoying the story and not letting me know, what's the point dudes? I'm grateful if you like it enough to add it to your alerts and faves, but how about letting me know exactly what you like about the story? The writer and reader should both benefit; you readers enjoy the story, I enjoy the feedback and reviews. So please hit that review button! A happy AngeLhearteD is more likely to be motivated to get typing the next chapter sooner! So to all of you not reviewing, if you want the next chapter sooner, you know what you've got to do! _

_Thanks for reading my story and the little ramble xD; Toodles until next time!_


	4. The Race: Part II

_Whoa. DUDES! Thank you all so much for the fantastic response to the last chapter! That was like the most reviews I've ever gotten for a chapter like EVER. I had 40 reviews or something before I put chapter 3 up and now I'm over 100. AWESOME! XD I really appreciate all the feedback guys and girls! _

_Please make sure you read the author's note at the end of the chapter, I've a very important announcement to make. Before we get to that, roll on with the story! _

**Chapter IV: The Race - Part II**

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

Konoha was burning. It was the very picture of despair. The scene stirred vestiges of memory deep inside his mind. The familiar sense of déjà vu overwhelmed him as the reality of the situation sunk in. Massacre. The unmistakable stench of death and destruction hung thickly and ominously in the air, gripping the entire atmosphere in a sense of choking and impending doom.

As he passed lifeless bodies, Sasuke felt something begin to burn deep within his chest. He had explicitly made it clear to Madara that innocent civilians were _not_ to be harmed. And yet they now littered the once peaceful roads of Konoha, the roads he remembered in recollections locked up for safekeeping years earlier. Houses had been burned down and people streamed past him, screaming and sobbing. Through the veil of the hood of his dark cloak, Sasuke saw a child crying out for its mother. A kunoichi the Uchiha didn't recognise ran to the child, sweeping him up in her arms and hurrying away from a blazing home.

Sasuke's eyes, of their own will, had turned to red; an automatic and unconscious reaction to the silent fury that coursed through his veins. The village was in chaos. He knew that Madara was no doubt heading to the Hokage's tower, if the elder Uchiha hadn't reached it already.

A sense of urgency settled into his mind. Sasuke had to hurry. He had to put an end to this. But even as he moved, light on his feet, a whispering alarm bell went off in his mind. Names he didn't want to recall drifted into his thoughts as his eyes instinctively searched the bodies, involuntarily seeking anybody familiar.

_Naruto. _

_Kakashi. _

_Sakura._

Where were they? Why had he yet to encounter any of them? Or any other familiar face from his past? Perhaps they were away from the village on a mission, although it seemed unlikely. Word had no doubt already spread of Konoha under attack. Any Leaf ninjas stationed in neighbouring provinces would have speedily returned.

This hadn't been the way he had planned it. Madara had gotten to the village first and the detour Sasuke had taken to lose Madara's tracking team had cost him. On initially arriving in Konoha the young Uchiha had sent Suigetsu, Juugo and Karin ahead to intercept any attempts by Konoha's ninja to get in the way of his plans, strictly instructing Hawk that while they could disable any threats, they were absolutely not permitted to kill anybody.

As he stepped around a fallen market stall, he quickened his pace, stepping over bodies and being careful not to tread on any. He was about to surge ahead toward the Hokage's tower using his phenomenal speed when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. To his right, a streak of colour amidst the dull greys, blacks and browns of burnt materials and ash stained bodies.

Sasuke stopped abruptly on the spot, head twisting to allow his Sharingan eyes better visibility of the item that had caught his notice. Next to two fallen bodies clad in dark clothing lay a slender figure, sprawled on the muddy ground, pale, shapely legs tainted with scratches and blood stains. His eyes trailed from the legs, further up.

Black shorts.

A red dress.

Black gloves.

Something knotted deep within his gut as his analytical gaze fell on the final shade of colour. Sudden and startling realisation washed over him.

Pink hair.

_Pink hair._

He almost turned away. In a moment of uncharacteristic indecision, Sasuke stood on the spot, hinged upon it, capable of swaying either way. His feet shifted and he made as if to turn away and head back in the direction of the Hokage's tower; a purely thoughtless and senseless movement. But as his feet began to turn, eyes still fixed on the mass of pale pink locks on the floor, his mind stilled. A strange feeling overwhelmed him, a strange detachment. As if he could not believe what he was seeing. His tumultuous emotions were at war with his composed mind.

And then his feet shifted again and he was moving forward swiftly before he could even comprehend what it was he planned to do. He knew that if any of Madara's followers spied him and guessed his identity under the cloak, he would seriously be at a disadvantage.

But that fact suddenly seemed unimportant.

He knelt down, eyes scanning the two bodies next to the one before him. They were dead. He knew it with certainty. He reached out with his hands, minutely hesitating before gripping onto the slender shoulders of the girl on the floor and turning her over from her position on her front on the ashy ground.

Her skin against his hands was warm. She was breathing, quietly, slowly. She was alive.

The realisation settled in his mind and an alien emotion washed over him. He hadn't realised until that moment that his heart had been pounding and that he had been holding back oxygen to his lungs. Relief was a feeling he was not accustomed to acknowledging. At that moment, he ignored it.

An arm supported the base of the back of her head as his eyes roamed over her face, inspecting the damage. Soft, pale cheeks, that in his far-away memories had always held a rosy blush, were now cut and leaking blood. Her arms were badly scratched but other than that there didn't appear to be any major damage. Clinically he concluded that she must have been knocked unconscious by someone or something at some point. Her breathing was slow and steady and she would soon come back around.

Sasuke knew that as long as Sakura remained in her current position, she was at risk of suffering even greater damage. The building to his near left was burning unsteadily. He had to get her away from it, away from the open.

The thought struck him as ridiculous. He had been away from the village for so long, and now back within its gates he was picking up exactly where he had left off; carrying Sakura to a more comfortable location.

The irony would have struck anybody as amusing, but he was Uchiha Sasuke, and although he would never admit it, he was silently outraged to find Haruno Sakura in such a deplorable state.

She was even lighter than he remembered as he gathered her slender, fragile form in his arms and scooped her up from the ground. In a blur of movement untraceable to eyes lacking the Sharingan, the raven haired shinobi had transported himself and his former team-mate to a partially damaged hut that he vaguely recalled had once been a small supplies store. Hurriedly, he entered it, knowing that it would hold stable and that Sakura would safely regain consciousness within its protective cocoon.

He set her down against the wall behind the till counter, awkwardly, as carefully as he could, as if she were a glass doll capable of breaking from the slightest application of pressure. He had not handled anyone gently since the last time he had set the very same girl on a bench, on the night of his leaving Konoha, years earlier.

For a few seconds, his hands remained on her, the right resting lightly on her left shoulder, the left resting lower down her left arm, just above the wrist. Then he withdrew, sitting back on his heels as his eyes rested on her face for a moment.

His thoughts turned to Naruto and Kakashi. Where were they? And why had they not assisted Sakura? His hands clenched into tight fists as he watched a fresh trail of blood trickle slowly down Sakura's dirt-stained left cheek.

A blink of an eye later and the cloaked Uchiha had risen from the pink-haired girl's side and exited the hut, speedily heading toward the Hokage's tower.

* * *

.'End/Flashback"'

* * *

'We don't stand a chance against them, Sora.' The purple haired girl whined. 'They're too skilled!'

Together with her brown-haired team-mate, they had only managed to acquire two ribbons and were way behind the other teams.

Sora huffed, crouching down in his position on a high up branch of a tree. He frowned as he watched Sasuke and Sakura speed by them below. They had four ribbons and from the way Sasuke was moving, Sora guessed he was well on his way toward a fifth ribbon.

Slowly an idea crept into his mind. He looked at his purple-haired team-mate. They were struggling and if they kept up the way they were going, would finish last. That was unacceptable. Sora decided that some drastic action was necessary. They _had_ to finish in a respectable position. He'd never live it down if he came last. His friends would never let him.

'I've got an idea of how we can steal this at the very end!'

'Huh?' His team-mate stared at him with startled chocolate eyes. 'We can't cheat, we'll be disqualified!'

'We won't cheat! Nobody will get hurt. Not if we pull it off at the perfect moment!' Sora replied.

'Pull _what_ off?' The girl frowned.

Sora smiled a sly smile. 'I'll explain it all to you on the way down. We're gonna win this Kimi; just wait and see!'

* * *

Carrying Sakura on his back was very much like carrying nothing at all. The only constant reminder that she was with him was the feel of a warm body against his back, the legs hooked into the loops of his arms and the slender arms that clung onto his shoulders. She was small boned and very light, and her weight didn't hinder Sasuke's movement at all.

As he weaved through more branches, her voice suddenly came to him.

'Sasuke-kun-'

Her mouth was so close that he could feel her warm breath stir strands of raven hair over his ear. His body tensed slightly, a purely reflexive reaction. But he disguised it well by leaping to a higher up branch, providing a logical explanation for the tightening of his muscles.

'-there's a ribbon up there.' Sakura finished.

His eyes scanned the location ahead and sure enough, he spotted a dark green ribbon, well disguised between the leaves of a branch above them. He silently handed it to his team-mate; she was certainly observant.

'Sakura.' He addressed her, stopping on a branch just below the one that held the ribbon. As he set her down, he reasoned that if he gave her a boost up toward the branch, they could continue on their way without losing ground. After all, they still needed to find the ultimate prize - the Golden Ribbon, and then make it back to the finish line first.

'I'll boost you up to the branch.'

Sakura's eyes widened slightly at what he was suggesting. But surely throwing her up there at high speed would mean she would be unable to avoid oncoming obstacles once she snagged the ribbon. Sasuke's eyes shifted to his right slightly, sensing her hesitation.

'But-wouldn't the speed...?' She began uncertainly.

'You won't fall.' He cut in, holding out his right hand to her, eyes remaining on the ribbon above them.

Sakura looked at his hand, outstretched to her, and took a deep breath, nodding. She trusted Sasuke. She knew that if he said she would not fall, he meant it. She gave him her left hand. A second later, his plan was in motion as he kicked against the tree trunk to their right and spun in mid-air, simultaneously twisting Sakura around and releasing her in the direction of the branch high above. With a determined look, Sakura soared through the air as Sasuke mirrored her movement below, timing his advance forward with her progression toward the ribbon.

As she reached out and tore it from its branch, she felt the momentum which had propelled her up begin to falter as gravity pulled her down. There were no branches she could use to break her fall and her eyes frantically searched the blur of trees passing by her as she fell into descent, seeking Sasuke. There was a faster blur to her left and a moment later she felt arms catch her. She collided into Sasuke's body; the side of hers pressed against the front of his as her arms wrapped around his neck to achieve stability. His right arm snaked around her waist as he continued forward, left hand gripping the kunai tightly.

He had engaged the Sharingan again, looking out and listening for any nearby teams. When he heard the faint rustle of leaves to his right, he whipped his head around, spotting silhouettes in the same direction. He came to rest on another tree branch, setting Sakura down and staring back in the direction from which he had detected movement.

'Sasuke-kun?' Sakura questioned, confused at why they were suddenly stopping. But Sasuke paid her no attention, staring intently at the same spot. Sakura followed his gaze, seeing nothing. She looked back at him, waiting for an answer. When no explanation was offered, she spoke up again.

'Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? Is someone there?'

He frowned lightly.

She gazed up at his chiselled features. 'I didn't hear anything - what is it? Did you hear something?'

His frown intensified and he now looked vaguely irritated, but Sakura pressed on,

'Did you hear someone? Is someone coming toward-umph!?'

Her eyes widened as Sasuke, without looking at her, abruptly slapped a warm palm against her mouth, silencing her questioning. Blinking in surprise, she watched, stupefied, as he turned his head, a look of intense concentration etched on his handsome features.

The situation stirred Genin memories in the pink-haired young woman's mind; a certain far more serious situation many years earlier, in the Forest of Death, where Sasuke had done the very same thing and placed a hand over her mouth to quieten her. She suddenly wondered why he chose to silence her in that way instead of telling her to keep her mouth shut. But it was a curiosity that would never be satisfied and she knew it. The gesture would forever remain a mystery, much like Sasuke was himself.

She thought how unlikely it was that he even remembered clamping a hand over her mouth all those years ago, anyway.

Suddenly Sasuke's Sharingan eyes widened slightly and he removed his hand from against Sakura's mouth, shifting position and pulling her along with him as he jumped to the neighbouring branch, and stationed them behind the protective body of the great tree they had landed on. Sakura realised that he was hiding them from someone's view and then she finally heard it; the louder sound of leaves rustling some distance behind them.

She was tugged down to rest on her knees beside his crouching form as Sasuke gritted the kunai's handle between his teeth, peering around the corner of the tree trunk. Beside him, Sakura leaned forward, desperately trying to see who he had his sights on. Her green eyes widened when she spotted a glimmer of long blonde hair catch sunlight in the small opening between an encirclement of trees. Shikamaru and Ino were coming their way, and Ino's pale arm was laced with ribbons.

The pink-haired kunoichi sent a look at the raven-haired Uchiha. 'Sasuke-kun?' She whispered questioningly, wanting to know what he was planning.

Sasuke merely watched the pair from the safety of their concealed position on the higher up branch, before looking away and removing the kunai from its hold between his teeth. He then directed a slanting look at Sakura. Slowly, one corner of his lips turned upward, giving her a smirk so self-satisfied and smug that her heart fluttered within her chest. She was transfixed as his Sharingan eyes held hers for a moment, before promptly breaking contact. He slipped his right hand index finger into the circular hook at the end of the kunai's handle, twirling it fluidly in his grasp as he timed his attack.

'Sakura.' He stated quietly, not looking back at her. 'This will catch two ribbons and pin them to that tree opposite us.'

Sakura leaned around him, peering at said tree. She nodded in understanding.

Sasuke's eyes shifted back to her. 'Be ready to move. I'll meet you by the tree.'

She nodded again as she adjusted her position, getting ready to do as he had explained.

'Hai!'

Sasuke peered back around the edge of the tree trunk, watching closely with crimson eyes. As a clueless Shikamaru and Ino continued in their direction, he spotted the window of opportunity and with impressively fast reflexes hurtled the kunai toward its target.

'Now!' He instructed Sakura, who wasted no time and leapt from the branch, following after the whirling kunai.

Shikamaru spotted a sudden glimmer of reflected light to his right and whipped his head around just in time to see a kunai flying right toward them.

'Shit!' He swore, in disbelief that someone had managed to catch him off guard. Ino gasped as she felt a small tug of pressure on her left arm, soon realising the source; the kunai had pierced through two loosely tied ribbons with flawless accuracy and torn them both from her arm and into the trunk of a tree to their left.

'Shika-kun, turn around!' She urgently ordered, but it was too late. Her bright blue eyes widened when the identity of their ambushers literally came to light as pink streaked beneath a golden ray of sunlight.

Sakura had reached the tree with the embedded ribbons and looped them around her right arm. Ino was positively outraged.

'Forehead!' She screeched in fury. 'Give those back!'

Sakura released a light laugh.

'I win, Ino-Pig!'

The taunting only served to heighten the blonde kunoichi's anger.

'Shikamaru!' She practically rained angry punches down upon a wincing Shikamru's head and threw all endearing suffixes out the window. 'Stop her!'

In response, Sakura pushed herself away from the tree. In a blur of movement, Sasuke materialised beside her, retrieving the embedded kunai. As he pushed away, he allowed Sakura to wrap her arms around his neck as he manoeuvred them both safely away from Shikamaru's reaching shadow hand with ease.

Sakura turned her head, looking back at Ino, and stuck her tongue out at her friend playfully, waving the ribbons tauntingly with one hand. The blonde gaped, not only from her anger, but in disbelief at what she was seeing. The front of Sakura's body was pressed against Sasuke's. Sasuke wasn't holding onto the kunoichi; only her firm grip on him saved her from falling to the floor far below; but it was the fact that he didn't seem to mind her clinging so tightly that shocked the blue-eyed girl.

The underside of the former nukenin's chin brushed lightly against the top of Sakura's silky head of hair as he turned his face to look back at Ino and Shikamaru. A mocking, ghost of a smirk played on his arrogant lips. Paired with Sakura's expression, the look said everything; they had stolen Ino and Shikamaru's ribbons and there was nothing the two could do about it. The Nara clansman tried to reach out with another shadow hand but a referee appeared beside him, forcing Shikamaru on the defensive.

The referee raised the water gun and Shikamaru hurriedly moved to take cover, looking very annoyed as he muttered how 'troublesome' teaming with his sweetheart was proving to be. Ino's shrill screaming followed after a safely distanced Sasuke and Sakura.

'Forehead, I'll get you for thiiiiis!'

Sakura's response to Ino's fading screeches - a rather exhilarated but innocent giggle - snapped Sasuke to attention. He suddenly became all too aware of the way she hung onto him.

_What...is she doing?_

But even as he silently questioned her, he was harshly censuring himself. Before the race had begun, he had personally sworn that he would _not_ carry Sakura the way he was carrying her now. And yet it had somehow just happened in the rush of the moment. What was worse, _Yamanaka Ino_, former fangirl extraordinaire, had witnessed it. And he had allowed it.

_Damn it. What was I thinking?_

It was impossible to ignore; arms were around his neck and a left leg entangled around his right one. Her front was pressed against his. It was warm. It was soft. His body reacted strangely to his painfully conscious thoughts and he knew that if Naruto saw them, there would be no end to the blond boy's teasing. She had clung onto him in this awkward manner long enough. Surely it wasn't appropriate behaviour to continue carrying her in this way. While it may have been excusable when he had initially caught her as she pushed away from the tree, it was now most certainly _not_ acceptable in his mind. She had never held onto him like this –full-bodied from the front. He had never carried her like this before – so closely.

As he surged on, his hands hastily slipped to Sakura's slender sides and he swiftly moved her with ease onto his back once again. Sasuke could move a lot more fluidly if he was comfortable with the way he carried her.

He didn't see Sakura anxiously indent teeth into her lower lip behind him.

* * *

Hinata scanned the trees for more ribbons, heart pounding. She had never been so nervous, or delighted, in her life. Naruto, _Naruto-kun_ was carrying her, and he hadn't dropped her once. There had been one occasion where he had almost lost his hold on her, but he had managed to recover well to ensure that he didn't let her fall tumbling to the ground.

It was just as she expected from the blond. He was such a gentleman, handling her so carefully. But it was a stark contrast to how she had witnessed him carrying Sakura the previous year. Little did she know that the reason Naruto was being so careful with her was because he was afraid that if he dropped her just once, Hinata's father would make him pay. She felt much more fragile than Sakura. Sakura was always so rough around him and though he had felt bad for all the times he had let her fall, he knew she had been able to take one or two bruises. But Hinata seemed more delicate somehow, and so Naruto was extra careful.

Unfortunately, they had been hit twice by referees, which deducted from their total points tally. Naruto, however, wasn't concerned. He and Hinata had already managed to grab six ribbons in total, and the race wasn't even over yet. He was confident that he would be the winner, that he could beat the other competition, especially Sasuke.

A grin plastered on his face as he addressed his team-mate.

'Hoy, Hinata-chan! Keep an eye out for that Golden Ribbon! We've got to get to it before Sasuke!'

'H...hai!' Hinata nodded, slender eyebrows drawing together in determination as she engaged her clan's gift once again.

Naruto's grin widened. This race was his for the taking.

* * *

Tenten's eyes searched the trees frantically. Time was running out; they were almost into the final and most challenging area of the race course, and she and Lee had only acquired 5 ribbons. The previous year, she and Neji had snagged 8 by this stage.

But then, the competition hadn't been so fierce the last time around. The last time around, Uchiha Sasuke hadn't been competing, and neither had Hyuuga Hinata. Naruto and Sakura opting to pair with stronger, more advantaged partners had made the task of retaining her winner's crown significantly more difficult. She knew it wasn't Lee's fault that they weren't doing well enough; her team-mate was carrying her very quickly and he had only lost his hold on her once. The reality simply was that the other teams were getting to the ribbons first. Lee was fast, but Sasuke was faster. Tenten had keen eyesight but Hinata had the Byakuugan and so the Hyuuga heiress could spot any hidden ribbons easily.

'Lee!' She called down to her team-mate, who carried her firmly on his shoulders. 'We need to hurry! There aren't many ribbons left, and if we don't get to the Golden Ribbon first-'

'Don't worry, Tenten!' Lee cut in, odd eyes wide with determination. 'The Golden Ribbon will be ours! Youth shall prevail and Gai-sensei...Gai-sensei will be proud!' His eyes sparkled over at the thought of his role model. 'Yes! To the Golden Ribbon!' He surged forward at an even greater pace and Tenten prepared her scrolls as she spied Kiba and his team-mate in the distance. They _had_ to win this. She couldn't let Neji and their sensei down.

* * *

Kiba congratulated his team-mate on the ribbon she had just managed to steal from a furious Chouji. He glanced back over his right shoulder, grinning devilishly at the stomping shinobi who was rapidly falling far behind.

'Heh heh, better luck next time fatty!' He called back mockingly. Chouji's glare became the look of pure doom.

'I'M NOT FAT!' He yelled, surprising Kiba by picking up speed at a sudden and alarming pace. As he rolled toward a horrified Kiba and his partner, he added in a thunderous voice, 'I'M JUST THICK BONED!'

'D...damn, move out the way, quick!' Kiba warned his team-mate, who barely managed to escape the flying kunai thrown by Chouji's partner. She didn't recover in time to spot Tenten and Lee appearing behind her. Tenten's fluttering scroll snagged a ribbon away from the poor girl.

Now it was Kiba's turn to be furious.

'Y...you damn thieves!' He yelled (rather hypocritically).

Naruto and Hinata appeared from a left cluster of trees, instantly sweeping into the fray. Naruto was laughing madly, relishing the chaos of the situation. He knew it was the last opportunity to steal more ribbons before making the final, mad dash toward the much coveted Golden Ribbon.

'Hinata-chan! Now!' The blond shouted.

He set Hinata down, allowing the Hyuuga girl to race forward, eyebrows drawn together anxiously as she followed the path of the kunai Naruto had just thrown toward Kiba's partner.

Kiba went insane.

'HINATA, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!' He roared.

'I...I'm sorry, Kiba-kun!' Hinata gasped in response, as she snagged another ribbon from Kiba's dazed team-mate. Naruto chuckled as he snatched Hinata safely away from a lunging Kiba, and continued on toward the ultimate prize.

But Lee and Tenten were hot on their heels.

'Give it up Fuzzy-Brows! Nobody's gonna stop us from getting that ribbon!' Naruto called back to Lee, who was rapidly closing the distance between them. Hinata avoided Tenten's scroll and Naruto somersaulted in the air to avoid the kunai Lee had flung at them. Hinata's heart flew as Naruto landed back on the ground, continuing to race forward determinedly.

Now far behind them, Kiba and Chouji were about to become embroiled in a mad melee, forgetting all about the aim of the game, much to the dismay of their team-mates. Three referees appeared, instantly snapping Chouji and Kiba back to their senses as they scrambled to avoid being hit by water balloons.

Ino and Shikamaru descended from a tree and joined the commotion, Shikamaru using the distraction to his advantage as he closed in on the red-haired girl and black-haired boy who had also appeared on the scene, momentarily caught off guard after being hit by a referee's shot. The drenched red-haired girl screamed in dismay as Ino stole two ribbons, waving them happily. Then the blonde kunoichi urged Shikamaru onwards, determined not to lose to Sakura.

**Author's Note**

_Good grief! This is only half of what I've typed up. The overall length of this chapter was originally 8,000 words. RIDICULOUSLY LONG! I was afraid it'd be too much drama for everyone to digest in one chapter, so I decided to split it up to make for easier reading. You'll get the rest in the next chapter. The plus side of all this is I've got the next chapter pretty much done and dusted, so it'll be hot on the heels of this update, BELIEVE IT! XD_

_Thanks so much again for the awesome reviews of the last chapter! I'm a greedy soul so I'm anticipating lots of reviewz again for this one. 'Coz, y'know, feedback fuels mah SOUL! xD Seriously please do let me know what you all thought of this one, muchly appreciated!_

_So now anyways, __**I HAVE SOMETHING SO AWESOME TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION!**__ I'm sure all you SasuSaku fans are familiar with the DA artist Samurai-PET. YES. THE SAMURAI-PET. THE LEGEND! THE GOD! THE...you catch my drift, right? xD Well the AWESOME PET drew a picture based off chapter 3 of this fic, for which I am eternally humbled and I can't stop gawking at it. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! I've put the link up on my profile page, you'll find it under the 'Naruto' updates section. I'll link to it here too, because I really think you should all go gawk at it right now:_

_http:(2 forward slashes)img128(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img128/1620/race3pt1(dot)png_

_Obviously replace the (2 forward slashes) and (dot)s with their actual respective symbols on your keyboard if that makes sense xD;_

_THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN PET! YOU'RE SO GREAT! And I'm shamelessly fangirling now so I'll just stop here XD_

_See you peoples next update!_


	5. The Race: Part III

_Yo everyone! So, I know I said I'd update this really soon after the last chapter but I got lost on the road of life and- ...nah you're not buying it are you? Oh well xD Actually you can all blame the flashback scene for the delay; it's winded up longer than the actual continuation of the race in this chapter which basically means I spent ages working to get it just right! I'm still not 100 per cent happy with it but if I pick at it anymore I'll go all cross eyed or something lol. So I dearly hope you all like it as it is. Read on now folks!_

**Chapter V: The Race – Part III**

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

He had been silently surprised to encounter her on the path toward the village exit, although her anticipation of his intention to leave Konoha was a tribute to her undeniable intelligence.

The unexpected yet fateful encounter had started off so well; she asking her usual, irritatingly emotional and probing questions, enquiring after matters that were none of her concern; and he giving her his usual curt response, cutting her off before she could even finish voicing her thoughts.

He had even added a snappish edge to his cold, rebuking answer, hoping that it would deter her.

It hadn't. Because they had been team-mates for many, many months now, and Sasuke had very nearly lost complete track of all sense of time. It had been a dangerous realisation and a cruel wake-up call. He knew that the longer he stayed in Konoha and the longer he remained part of Team 7, with people who had become far too important to him - people he had blindly _allowed_ himself to care for far too much - the greater the chances were that he would lose all sight of his original and ultimate goal.

And so he had made a choice that he never imagined would be so difficult; the trading of friendship and love for power and the lonely bitter path of an avenger.

But it was a path he had chosen a long time ago. And nothing, _nobody_, would keep him from it. He would never be swayed or tempted to turn his back on his goal ever again. He vowed it, and when he had set the picture frame containing a photograph of Team 7 on its front in the room of his now abandoned house, he had sealed his silent promise with damning certainty.

She had asked him if he remembered standing in the very same location they did now, on the first day their team had been formed. He had nonchalantly answered a negative.

But it had not been a truthful answer. He had a strong memory; the murder of his Clan had fashioned a young Sasuke's mind to be keen and intelligent beyond its years. He paid attention to details. He recalled conversations, even if they held no significance. The day Sakura had asked him to remember was no exception.

In truth, he wished that he didn't remember it. In truth, he wished that things could have been as simple as they had been on that first day, at the very same spot, where he had simply insulted her and walked away.

He had planned, the moment he had spotted her distinctive pink head, to adapt the same dismissive strategy this time around. But now, circumstances were entirely different. He knew her better; no longer saw her solely as an annoying, fawning, shallow impediment to Team 7. Like with Naruto, he did not know the exact moment and could not pinpoint the day that he had started respecting her. He couldn't recall at what junction in time she had become an important person to him. It had seemingly just happened against his wishes and better judgement.

The sensibility that he had come to know more about her and that she had always been there for him in Team 7, constantly offering emotional and physical support where she could, meant that he couldn't keep up the harsh tone in his voice as the conversation continued. He stood, hands in pockets, rooted to the spot with his back turned to her. Had it been anybody else, he would have walked away much sooner.

But this was Haruno Sakura, and despite her foolishness and childishness and her hopeless optimism, he respected her. Even if he never made it obvious, even if he would never let her know in words. And so he stood and he gave her the respect she deserved on the night he had chosen to leave her, Naruto, Kakashi and Konoha behind. It was the least he could do; the most he could offer her; a chance to say goodbye.

When he spoke, his tone was a stark contrast to his initial snap to her stating that he never told her anything.

His voice was now quiet, soft; and if it wasn't impossible coming from Uchiha Sasuke, it could almost be described as gentle. He had never thought that he would end up explaining his actions to her, especially when he knew she couldn't understand.

'From this point on, new paths will begin...'

Sakura's face twisted in agony. None of her previous words about Team 7 unity and all the fun times they had shared together had had an affect on the stoic boy in front of her. She felt pure desperation begin to bubble up deep within her. She had hoped beyond hope that she could reach him, that she could snap him out of his illogical thinking. But he wasn't listening.

He_ wasn't listening._

Her composure was hanging on the tattered ends of fragile strings. Her mind, usually so clear and intelligent, was now a jumble of conflicting emotions. If he left...if he _really_ left...what would become of her? A future without Sasuke; a _day_ without Sasuke, was a reality that she could not comprehend. She needed him more than he knew. Yes, she was no doubt being selfish by putting herself and her own wishes first, but she _needed_ him.

Because without him, without him by her side; such a loneliness would be too much for her to bear.

But she could not change his mind. Blindly, wildly, unthinkingly, she stepped forward, nin sandals tapping lightly on the cobbled stone of the path. She hesitated, holding her breath for a terrible moment, afraid to speak what was in her heart, scared of the rejection she knew she would most certainly encounter.

Sasuke had always seen her as an obsessed admirer, a shallow fangirl. She had to admit to herself that it had started out that way; she had just been part of the crowd, pining after him for his looks and his coolness and his undeniable brilliance. But, after being selected in the same team, after spending more time with him, her emotions had gradually taken a complicated turn.

Now the idea of him leaving Team 7 and leaving her behind, going where she could neither follow nor reach him, terrified her beyond anything.

It was no longer just a childish crush. She was young and she had never known real love before. But somehow she knew that what she felt for Sasuke was something deeper than mild affection. It was no longer superficial. She felt for him with every fibre of her being. She cared so much that it hurt and for all her immaturity, she somehow _knew_ that what she felt for him had to at least border on the outskirts of love; whether in the form of friendship, or something more, she couldn't quite discern. She hoped time would be able to clear that matter up for her. But for now, all she had was what she was feeling in the present. If he went now, without knowing how much she cared; if she never saw him again, if the worst happened and she lived on with the guilt of having chosen to remain silent, embarrassment and fear getting the better of her...how could she ever forgive herself?

'I...' Her voice wavered as she squeezed her eyes shut and clasped her small hands tightly together against her aching chest. Her racing heart leapt deep within her as she banished the last remnants of hesitation, shaking from the intensity of her feelings.

'I...I love you so much...!' She blurted out, keeping her eyes closed from fear of his reaction.

To declare her feelings so openly, to lay her heart on the line, was to leave herself so vulnerable. What would her parents think of her? She knew they would disapprove and admonish her for her foolishness. Where was her pride - her sense of respectability? Where were her manners? What was she thinking letting an orphaned, troubled boy know the true nature of her sentiments? What madness possessed her to confess to a boy who was about to become a nukenin by his own freewill, a boy with whom she had no chance of a future?

But she didn't care about how illogical and mindless she was being. She just _didn't care_.

She took in a shaky breath as she vowed in a rising tone of voice,

'...If...if you are by my side, I will make sure that you will not regret it! I will make every day more enjoyable, and you will be happy!'

A terrible feeling of dread overwhelmed her as she slowly inched her eyes open. What if he had walked away and gone already? What if he had taken off the moment she had revealed her true feelings...?

Relief flooded through her and very nearly made her legs turn to jelly as she saw that he hadn't moved from his position. He was still, silent; encouraged by this, reasoning that he had to be listening, she continued passionately,

'There's nothing I wouldn't do for you!'

Sasuke stared at the darkness of the path ahead with impossibly black eyes. The clouds high in the sky above had crossed the path of the moon, briefly taking away natural illumination from their surroundings.

Her shaking sob reached his ears.

'That's why...I'm _begging_ you...please stay! I will even help you with your revenge; there must be something I can do!' She wailed desperately, raising her clasped hands to rest just beneath her chin. There was a pause, and when she spoke again, her voice was much quieter, almost broken with emotion.

'That's why...please, stay here with me...' She sobbed again, the tremors seizing her small frame in an unrelenting hold.

The moonlight broke through the clouds.

'If that's not possible...' She added so quietly that it was almost a whisper, the full weight of what she was implying hitting her as she spoke, '...then please take me with you...'

The silence that followed was dreadful, broken only by the sniffles and the hitched breaths of Sakura's continuous crying.

She silently prayed, gripping her hands together so tightly that her fingernails dug painfully into her pale flesh. She prayed that he had listened; that he would have at least an ounce of compassion for her pathetic state. She hoped that he knew how genuinely she had meant every word. She had never wanted to feel so much for him. It had started out so shallow and meaningless.

How had it all come to this?

There were no words left for her to say; now a feeling of dull numbness combined with nausea had enveloped her as she waited for him to break her last fragment of hope. She felt horrible, throat thick with emotion, wishing that it was all a terrible nightmare, or a cruel genjitsu, but knowing that she was too painfully awake for this to be anything but reality.

Finally, she heard the soft rustle of fabric and her green eyes, darker than usual in their distress and from all the tears she had spilled, slowly rose to evaluate his response.

Sasuke had shifted and turned 90 degrees. His head was tilted back slightly and intense onyx eyes were now on her. She stared through tear-blurred eyes at the strange expression on his face. His left eyebrow was drawn slightly inward in an almost exasperated fashion; but the faintest hint of a smirk on the left corner of his lips coupled with the odd tilt of his right eyebrow set the look off entirely. It was sardonic mixed with something else entirely.

Confusion filled her; he wasn't regarding her with a passive, emotionless stare as she had expected. Her eyes seemed to play tricks on her, for it suddenly seemed as though it wasn't a smirk that was playing on one side of his lips, but something more akin to the slightest hint of a faint, but genuine, half-smile.

Her eyes met his as he opened his mouth to address her at last.

'After all this time...' He stated lightly, '...you're still annoying.'

He watched for a moment as his words took instant effect, causing Sakura to draw a breath as her large eyes widened. He had chosen his response carefully, counting on her intelligence to decipher their real meaning. He meant for her to interpret them in terms of their context and not their literal meaning. From her stunned expression, he was sure she had registered the words as he had intended.

Those words, coupled with the tone he had used to deliver them, and his expression; her mind was thrown into turmoil. He had said the same thing on the first day they had stood at the same spot, but he had told her that he didn't remember that occasion. It was impossible. Sasuke didn't do puns. Sasuke never teased. He always meant exactly what he said and yet...

And yet...that look and his tone...had Sasuke actually...? Could Sasuke possibly have really meant...?

She had only three seconds to try to decipher the true meaning behind his words before their code was thrown to the back of her mind. She watched in pure horror as Sasuke turned his back to her again and continued to walk down the path and away from her.

Her heart leapt violently and the desperation and despair reached an unbearable level.

'DON'T GO!' She shrieked, feeling as though she had been smothered, feeling as though her heart had broken into a million pieces.

But he didn't stop. Her confession had meant nothing. She was crushed. She was broken. Hysteria snapped any remaining shards of composure and dignity and adrenaline kicked in as she ran four paces after him, before stopping abruptly and wildly crying out the first thoughtless idea that surged into her muddled head.

It happened to be a threat; a stupid, mindless one, but it was all she had left.

'IF YOU GO, I WILL SCREAM OUT LOUD, AND-!'

What happened next was a literal blur. Her eyes widened as one moment, Sasuke was ahead of her. The next, he had disappeared in a flash of untraceable movement. She was too numb to marvel at his extraordinary speed. Cool air, contrasting with the relatively mild temperature of the night, rushed behind her and her trembling body momentarily tensed. She didn't need to turn to know that he was now behind her.

A fresh river of tears began to spill down her cheeks as she stared ahead at the ground sullenly. Her shoulders slackened and all strength seemed to drain from her. For what seemed like a dreadfully long time, there was nothing but silence between them, interrupted only by the sound of Sakura's soft, subdued sobs and the barely audible rustling of leaves as they fluttered in the gentle breeze around them.

She waited, unable to summon the courage to turn and face him. She didn't know why he was so silent behind her. She didn't know what he was thinking, or what he was going to do. She realised that she didn't know anything anymore.

Sasuke stared at the back of her head, at the silky, short pink locks, watching as the strands stirred in the breeze. They had been long when he had first met her. He had always thought of her hair colour as outrageous; no other girl in the village, or in any other village they had visited during their travels as Genin, possessed pink hair. It identified Sakura from all the rest; it made her stand out and piqued people's curiosity. Never had anybody he had ever met been as aptly named as she was; after the fragile spring cherry blossom. His eyes lowered and he observed the fine trembling of her slender frame. She was fragile. He had listened to everything she had told him and he knew she had meant every word. She was willing to leave Konoha with him. She was willing to do anything if it meant that she could be with him.

There was no doubt that she had come a long way from the shallow, spoiled girl he had first met - even if she did still cry.

Sakura was pure, and she was untainted. He was already a damned soul; cursed to walk paths where darkness reigned and winter howled. She belonged to the springtime, to paths that were lined with flowers and green grass and trees sharing her namesake. He was her weakness. Without him, maybe, just maybe, she would finally be able to move on and blossom into the strong kunoichi she had the potential of becoming.

'Sakura...' He uttered quietly at length, and she didn't even blink, continuing to stare lifelessly at the same spot. From his voice, she could tell he was placed directly behind her. Normally she would have been surprised, delighted even, that he was standing so close to her. Dismissing his usual want of personal space and boundaries was unlike him. But she felt nothing now; nothing but a deep ache within her chest and a terrible throbbing in her mind.

Sasuke took another long moment to think of something appropriate to say but found it incredibly difficult. Uncomfortably, he searched his mind, trying to find a word that would convey at least a fraction of what he could not tell her. To leave her with nothing would be too cruel. He appreciated her futile attempt to stop him. He appreciated that she cared, that she still bothered where many had given up. He knew she felt crushed and defeated, and undoubtedly rejected by his actions despite his lack of words.

He thought of everything that she had ever done for him, for all the times he had missed when he had been knocked unconscious, for every moment she had remained by his side and all the significant times she had been there when he would have otherwise been alone in his misery and pain; on that fateful day when Orochimaru had first given him the Curse Seal in the Forest of Death and she had held him in his agony, gripping his hand and doing her best to soothe him despite the terror she must have felt; for the time she had stepped in front of him to protect him from Gaara, for all the times she had been at his bedside at the hospital. For all the support she had given him and for never giving up on him.

For having the courage to say all that she had just said to him and for caring enough to try to stop him - even when she knew she couldn't.

A word finally formed in his mind and he bit his lower lip, hesitating to utter it. It was alien to him and he couldn't remember the last time he had used it. His eyebrows drew together slightly as he considered. He knew Sakura's personality well; if he chose to say it, it would give her hope. One word would soothe her feelings of dejection. Was it fair of him to say it? But what else was he supposed to say? This situation was foreign to him and didn't know any better. He thought for a long, hard moment, making absolutely sure that his cryptic choice of word was the one he wanted to leave her with; the one he wanted her to remember him by.

She had had the courage to say all that she had said. He owed it to her to give her something back, as small and slight as it seemed in comparison. He couldn't return her feelings; but he could let her know that he had acknowledged her words.

So he did the impossible and swallowed his pride. He lowered his barriers momentarily and allowed himself to feel genuine gratitude. His lips softened and his eyes fixed on the back of her head once again as he spoke a final word to her.

'...Arigatou.'

The word hit her like a tidal wave. Sakura's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. If he wasn't directly behind her, she would have thought that the breeze was speaking wishful thoughts to her unstable, emotional mind.

But she had heard it all too clearly. Uchiha Sasuke had said _thank you_. To _her_. She wasn't sure what was more shocking; the word itself (she had never heard him thanking anybody, she was sure of it) or the manner in which he had uttered it. It was so uncharacteristic of Sasuke; delivered in a tone so soft and gentle, so alien coming from his lips that her mind insisted that she had to be going mad and imagining it.

But surely he had rejected her? Did this mean he hadn't? The terrible dejection wavered uncertainly within her and the confusion that settled rendered her motionless and unable to voice a response of any kind.

His words echoed in her mind, over and over as another tear spilled down her left cheek.

_Sakura...arigatou._

_Thank you_...for _what_...? What did he mean...? What was he thanking her for? She didn't understand and she needed to know if- if there was even a small, slight chance that maybe, just _maybe_-

Her thoughts couldn't fully untangle as a sudden, dull pain assailed the back of her head. The cruel reality then flashed before her; he had given her the word and knew it would stun her. In the seconds he had allowed her to digest its meaning he had already thought out his next course of action; disabling her.

Desperately, she tried to fight off the surge of grey that accompanied the sea of unconsciousness that rapidly began closing in on her. Dizziness overwhelmed her senses and she felt herself falling forward, her legs finally giving way. The ground was a blur that rushed up to meet her as his name registered in her mind one last time, before her entire world plunged into black.

_Sa...suke...kun..._

His quick decision to hit a pressure point had worked. He caught her by her arms, just beneath the shoulders, pulling her back and supporting her weight against his body momentarily as he manoeuvred his hold and swiftly swept her light frame up in his arms. Her left arm and legs hung limply in the air and for a few seconds, Sasuke merely stood, holding her, gazing down at her tear-stricken face. There was nobody else around and so there was no need to conceal the expression that had been kept in check up to that point. His eyebrows drew together faintly and the corners of his mouth turned down slightly as he traced the path of a rolling tear with his onyx orbs.

He had been the cause of her pain. This was the decision he had made, and yet, leaving his important people behind, cutting those deep ties forged over so many months, was harder in practise than he had assumed it would be in theory.

Somehow, he knew that he would not see Sakura again. Naruto, he was almost certain, would attempt to follow him; the dobe was, after all, too predictable. But Sakura, who would wilt and crumble the moment she regained consciousness...he knew with a sense of certainty that he would not see her again. He was leaving her under Naruto's protection, counting on his blue-eyed best friend to take the responsibility of making sure that she never got hurt. Naruto would now be the one who would have to catch Sakura when she fell; something that Sasuke had always somehow ended up doing, time and again.

These reflections and realisations caused his head to bow slightly, strands of raven hair concealing his expression, hiding the tensing of his jaw as his teeth gritted together. The cradle of his arms tightened involuntarily, pressing the right side of her body more firmly against the front of his torso.

This was the first step toward his goal of killing Itachi and avenging his clan. This was the first bond he was breaking. Who knew how many more years would pass before they met again; if they ever met again at all?

After a few more moments of motionlessly holding Sakura, he raised his head and looked to his right, pondering where best to place her. Carrying the pink-haired kunoichi back to her house and leaving her at the front door for her parents to attend to was out of the question. Somebody would see him with his backpack and he would be stopped, even if he moved as carefully, quietly and as quickly as he could. It was a risk he was unwilling to take, and it was equally as unacceptable that he leave her on the floor. She was..._was_, he stressed in the past tense, a friend and a former team-mate. His eyes stopped on the bench and he blinked, reasoning that it was the most comfortable place he could leave her without being spotted by any Konoha nin. The village was well protected and Sakura would be safe.

With a carefulness and gentleness he only reserved for when carrying her, he gingerly placed her fragile, sleeping form on the bench. Her left arm dangled over the edge and he frowned slightly, taking hold of her slender wrist and arranging the arm more comfortably. He then crouched down to rest on his heels, eyes locking onto her face once more. His clenched left hand gripped the edge of the bench and his open right one rested next to the top of her head, fingers and palm just shy of touching her hair.

_Sakura..._

For a long moment Sasuke remained motionless there silently by her unconscious side, just looking at her, just listening to her deep breathing.

He had never asked for her devotion; neither had he asked for the love she so desperately claimed she felt for him. Without him, she would be better off. She would be able to grow as a kunoichi. If she didn't realise that truth now, he was sure that over time, over the years, she would come to understand and appreciate that his leaving had set her free.

Abruptly, he blinked and cast out all thoughts of team-mates and bonds from his mind. He had lost far too much time here. Determination and purpose settled in and he snatched his right hand away from its position beside her head, pushing himself up and away from the bench.

He did not look back again as he walked away from Sakura, away from his home, and toward his dark destiny.

* * *

.'End/Flashback"'

* * *

'I'm not sure about this.' Kimi said nervously, glancing at her team-mate as they crouched behind the canopy of leaves on the high branch they had settled on. Not far to their right was the Golden Ribbon, hanging very high up in the tallest tree in the designated race course. Lots of branches, some sharp and splintered, blocked the way to the ribbon, and getting to it was no easy feat. The trees clustered together around the location, but Sora wasn't interested in the Golden prize. He kept his eyes focused on the small clearing that led up to the path toward the ribbon.

Any moment now, the teams would come racing by. He knew who he expected would come leaping over the final hurdle toward the final treasure; Uzumaki Naruto with Hyuuga Hinata, and Uchiha Sasuke with Haruno Sakura were both givens; he guessed that the Yamanaka girl and the Nara genius would also chance an attempt to steal the ribbon, and maybe even the weird, lanky guy with the astonishing eyebrows and googly round eyes. His team-mate, Tenten, was the current champion after all.

'Don't worry, Kimi!' Sora assured his team-mate. 'There's no way this can go wrong! I'll time it just perfectly! The first team that comes by here are gonna be finished! And all those ribbons will be ours for the taking!'

'But if anyone gets hurt, the Hokage is gonna kill us! What if the seal detonates at the wrong time?!'

'Nobody's gonna get hurt! Jeez, quit being so chicken!' Sora rolled his eyes.

'I'm not being chicken!' Kimi defended indignantly.

'Good! Then stay low and wait for the right moment!'

Kimi frowned. Her team-mate could be impulsive and brash in his decisions and she wasn't sure whether she could trust him. But she hung back, knowing it was too late to go for an alternative plan. For them, it really was now a case of all or absolutely nothing.

* * *

Sakura gripped onto Sasuke's shoulders tightly as he surged forward. They both knew they had found as many ribbons in the trees and bushes as they could. It was now time to head toward the ultimate prize.

Sasuke had carefully followed Sakura's directions and they found themselves drawing up into a clearing. As they did so, Naruto and Hinata raced past, Lee and Tenten just ahead of them.

As Sasuke swept down from the trees and onto the earthy path, falling just behind Naruto, Hinata alerted her team-mate to the new threat.

'N...Naruto-kun!'

But Naruto already knew who it was. His grin was positively devious as he called out to his best friend, throwing a quick glance back over his shoulder at the competition.

'SASKAAAAY! So you finally showed up eh?! I was starting to worry that this'd be too easy!'

'Aah,' Sasuke retorted. 'It will be – for me!'

Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sigh. In all their years spent apart, little had changed between the two when it came to their ridiculous rivalry and bickering.

'Heh heh heh,' Naruto chuckled, thoroughly loving the trash-talk he had missed for so many years 'Give it up Teme! There's no way you're gonna win!'

Sasuke smirked, deciding to let his actions do the talking as he stepped up another gear. The surroundings were now a dizzying blur of colour for Sakura. The sheer speed and grace at which he moved was, quite literally, breathtaking. He overtook Naruto with ease and Sakura directed a triumphant smile back at their Team 7 team-mate.

'This time I'll win, Na-ru-to!' She sang.

Naruto opened his mouth to respond when suddenly, three referees drew up to his right, and two more to his left.

'Eh?! Not those freaks again!' He exclaimed, abruptly changing direction as a referee fired his way.

Ino and Shikamaru had now joined the final cluster of teams racing toward the Golden Ribbon. At this point, trying to steal any of the opponents' stash was out of the question; all energy and concentration had to be dedicated to keeping a hold on ribbons collected, outmanoeuvring referees and obtaining the Golden Ribbon, then turning and racing all the way back to the finish line first for maximum points.

Two referees fell back to deal with Shikamaru and Ino, while the remainder kept up with the leaders of the pack. Two drew up on either side of Sasuke, taking aim.

_Not this time_, Sasuke thought, and to Sakura's astonishment, moved even faster. As he swept by the threats from the officials, he drew up beside Lee and Tenten.

Lee directed a grim look across at Sasuke, impressed by the raven-haired shinobi's sheer speed and agility. Gai's star pupil was fast, but no match for Sasuke if the Uchiha decided to crank it up to top gear.

'Just as I would expect from the survivor of the legendary Uchiha clan!' Lee exclaimed, and then cast an odd glance at Sakura, winking. 'And from Sakura-san, the flower of my-'

'Lee, watch where you're going!' Tenten cut him off, thoroughly irritated at his lack of concentration. The referees were tailing them, waiting for the right moment to fire water-balloon rounds.

'FUZZY-BROWS! TEME!' Naruto's voice yelled loudly behind them. 'You're not getting the better of me!'

But Sasuke could smell victory. He hurtled forward, choosing to take to the trees to stand a better chance of shaking the two referees who were following him. When a third official appeared to his left, Sasuke leapt higher up, weaving through the increasing number of branches that tried to hinder his path. Another referee materialised before them, and Sakura's eyes widened in alarm.

_Four are tailing us! _She realised. As two referees raised their guns to take aim, she called to her team-mate in warning.

But Sasuke was already a step ahead. With his Sharingan activated, he read the movement of the referee before him perfectly, dodging the attack with ease. As the other three closed in, a plan formed in his intelligent mind.

'Sakura.' He addressed her. 'Let go.'

'Huh?' She frowned, caught by surprise.

'Do it – now!'

'O...OK!' She said uncertainly, and released her hold on his shoulders. He brought his arms from around her in turn and she plummeted, free-fall, through the air. Their sudden plunge to lower ground caught the referees off guard and two collided into each other. The remaining two frantically grabbed hold of branches to slow themselves down. Once they had regained their balance they leapt to pursue the competitors who had managed to momentarily outwit them.

Sakura couldn't see Sasuke. Everything was a blur of green leaves and brown tree-trunks as she continued to fall to the ground. She spied a branch just beneath her and was about to make a move toward it, when Sasuke's voice came directly behind her.

'Sakura.'

She twisted her head to find him just above her. She reached out to him, fingers interlocking with his as he began to pull her back to him. Their eyes met momentarily before two referees pounced again.

As they fired, both Sasuke and Sakura drew their hands back and moved away from each other. It suddenly occurred to the pink-haired medic-nin that momentarily splitting up seemed the best way to go. It would be easier to lose the referees if they parted ways between the trees.

When her team-mate drew beside her again, she voiced her plan to him.

'Sasuke-kun! The Golden Ribbon is just up ahead! If we make our way up toward it separately-'

He nodded in understanding, instantly catching on to what she was thinking. His keen eyes quickly surveyed the path ahead and he concluded that the right side looked slightly easier to navigate through. He reached out and clasped her arm, moving her in the direction he wanted her to take.

'Go right.'

'Where shall we meet?' She asked. Then, at his pause, she suggested, 'There's a small clearing just before the final cluster of trees leading to the tallest.'

'Meet me there.' He nodded.

'Hai!' She said, and continued in the direction he had turned her in.

Meanwhile, Naruto was heavily relying on Hinata's eye technique to manoeuvre them safely through the many branches that were obstructing their way to the top prize.

'Which way now, Hinata-chan?' He asked eagerly, eyes wide as he scanned the surroundings for referees, or Sasuke.

'S...straight ahead! Now right! There's someone coming to our left...!'

Sasuke tore through the branches a moment later, eyes instantly locking on Naruto. The blond was surprised to find Sakura missing.

'Oi, Teme! Where's Sakura-chan?!'

'Pay attention, Dobe.' The Uchiha replied.

'Eh?!' The blond frowned slightly in confusion at his response. In his distraction, he had failed to notice the referee draw up beside him. Hinata gasped.

'N...Naruto-kun, look out!'

'Gah!' Naruto just about managed to dive for cover, but ended up falling back slightly and losing ground. Lee and Tenten raced by him, using the lost seconds to their advantage.

Sasuke was still ahead, and when another referee materialised before him, he didn't even blink to avoid the water-balloon.

Falling further and farther behind, Ino was screaming at Shikamaru to up the speed at which he travelled.

'I'm going to lose to that FOREHEAD! I can't believe it!' She screeched. 'I would've done better if I'd paired up with CHOUJI!'

Shikamaru was offended. 'Stop being so troublesome woman, or I'll drop you right here and screw up the race!'

'WHAT?!' Ino spluttered back. 'You wouldn't daaaaaare!'

Her last word was exaggerated as Shikamaru moved to avoid a water-balloon fired from their left.

'Damn it, we don't stand a chance against Sasuke, Lee and Naruto! They're all faster than us! Ino! I'm going to turn us around. At least if we get back first, we'll win bonus points!'

'I WANT THE GOLDEN RIBBON!' Ino shrieked. 'Don't you dare give up!'

Shikamaru sweat-dropped and sighed. Ino was ruled by her feelings and never gave enough thought once her stubborn mind was made up. He knew his plan of action was the best, but he also knew that if he went against what she wanted, he'd never hear the end of it. She would refuse to talk to him for weeks, if he was lucky. He reasoned that if he went along with what she said, then at least she'd have nobody to blame but herself. And so, thinking for the hundredth time how troublesome it all was, he continued toward the Golden Ribbon.

* * *

'I can hear someone!' Kimi whispered.

'This is it!' Sora grinned, licking his lips in anticipation.

'Y...you better not mess this up!' His team-mate said nervously.

'Don't worry; you're gonna see the pro in action!'

Kimi anxiously sweat-dropped; she didn't want to think what Tsunade would do to them if anybody accidentally got hurt.

'Here they come!' Sora exclaimed.

'Who is it?' Kimi asked, struggling to see who was approaching the small clearing.

Sora was silent a moment, and then his eyes widened. Raven hair and crimson eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke.

The tall shinobi had stopped on a high branch momentarily, and now he stood, rather impatiently, eyes scanning the area below. Sora gulped, laying low. Kimi did the same, eyes wide as she gazed at the older shinobi far ahead of them with open admiration.

From the way he shifted his weight on his feet, Sasuke seemed to be waiting for something; or someone. There was another rustle and his pink-haired team-mate had landed on the branch of a tree to Sora and Kimi's far left. They acknowledged each other's presence, when a loud shout filled the air.

'TEME! I SAID THAT RIBBON IS MINE!'

Sora watched, wide-eyed, as Sasuke motioned with his head to Sakura, who nodded. As the Uchiha pushed off the branch and continued ahead toward the tallest tree, the brown-haired boy swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous. This was their window of opportunity; it was now or never. Sakura had started moving after Sasuke. With the Uchiha ahead of her, they had an open target.

'S...Sora...I...I don't know about this.' Kimi's voice was full of dread and uncertainty. What if the kunai with the detonating seal exploded at the wrong moment and injured Haruno Sakura? She knew Tsunade's apprentice was a fully-fledged medic-nin who would have little trouble healing any injuries. It was Sasuke's reaction if he noticed that filled the purple-haired girl with fear.

Naruto and Hinata had arrived in the clearing, flying ahead and failing to notice Sakura, Lee and Tenten hot on their heels. But Sora's eyes were still on the Haruno girl, completely oblivious to his team-mate's agitated state. Sakura seemed to have the most ribbons, or maybe it was because she had stopped long enough for Sora to count them.

If he timed it right, they would surely win the race.

Now or never. Sora took a deep breath as he lunged to the tree next to the one he had hidden in, simultaneously flinging the kunai toward its target. Naruto and Hinata and Lee and Tenten, streaked past, missing the kunai safely. Both Sora and Kimi held their breaths as Sakura moved into the path of the soaring kunai. But as she pushed herself away from the tree, her right foot seemed to falter as the weak branch shook unsteadily under her weight. She tipped forward, trying to recover, but it cost her precious seconds.

Kimi's eyes widened in horror. Sora had timed the kunai perfectly but he hadn't taken into account the unlikely possibility of Sakura losing her balance.

'S...Sora!' She squeaked, a split second before the explosion came.

* * *

Sasuke could see the tall tree. It was unmistakable and it was right in front of him. He knew Naruto and Lee were behind him, but there was no way they would catch him up now. Sakura had told him earlier that the referees would no longer fire at them once they reached the small clearing leading up to the Golden Ribbon. That meant that all he needed to do was concentrate on reaching the prize first, snagging it, and then gloating over his victory to Naruto.

Nothing could stop him now. He was so confident that he had deactivated the Sharingan, and was just about to congratulate himself on a job well done when he heard something that sounded like a mini explosion. He was about to tell himself that it was against the rules and therefore impossible, when a cry pierced through the air some distance behind him.

His eyes widened and his stomach knotted tightly, an instantaneous reaction.

He recognised the voice instantly. Behind him, Naruto confirmed it.

'S...Sakura-chan?!'

The blond and Lee had both stopped dead in their tracks. Sasuke turned, looking back down at them in his position on a higher up branch. Hinata looked concerned and Tenten perplexed. They slowly all looked up to Sasuke.

'Sasuke...!?' Naruto yelled at his best friend, bright blue eyes full of angry accusation. The blond's stance made it clear that he would not move nor continue until Sasuke made sure that Sakura was alright.

_Damn it!_ Sasuke silently cursed. What had happened? He had just been with Sakura a moment ago! And to turn away now would hand the Golden Ribbon to Naruto. When he was so close to acquiring it, when he had come all this way to gain it, to beat Naruto at this silly, pointless game...

But Sakura.

_Sakura._

* * *

Sakura was falling. Pain and blinding light assaulted her senses as she shielded her face from the flying remnants of what had been a kunai. It had whizzed by her, missing her face by mere inches, and as she had twisted to pull her stash of ribbons away from danger, the paper seal she had glimpsed on the handle far too late had detonated. Somewhere in the distance she heard her name being yelled and a girl screaming. There was no time to break her fall and so she braced herself, preparing healing chakra. Branches snagged at her arms and legs, and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the ground to rush up and meet her.

Instead she felt the draught of a cold vacuum of air around her. Strong hands wrapped around her arms and jerked her forward. She hesitantly opened one eye and then the other followed suite. Sasuke's handsome, chiselled face looked down at her, raven strands of hair whipping across his intense eyes.

Their gazes locked. His black orbs, usually so cool and detached, now held a hint of some untold expression in them. The pink-haired kunoichi told herself that she had to be imagining. There was no way she had just seen what she thought she had. There was no way she had seen his eyebrows draw together in a look which had been, by Sasuke's unreadable standards, one of surprisingly open concern. It was already gone and the kunoichi reasoned that she had surely been seeing things in the rush of the moment.

But she was pulled closer still, right arm wrapping around her as the palm of his left hand pressed firmly against the back of her head, cradling it protectively as he shielded her body from the remainder of the fall, touching down on the ground first and cushioning any impact energy away from her. When he finally set Sakura on the ground, he kept his hands lightly on her shoulders for a moment, eyes trailing over her face.

For what seemed like an eternity, he was silent. At length, he uttered in a low voice,

'Sakura. Who did this to you?'

She merely looked up at him with wide, startled green eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. She was breathless from the shock of the explosion and the speed of the fall. But she was even more stunned by how incredibly quickly Sasuke had managed to make it back to her to break her otherwise painful descent.

Her cheeks were bleeding. She seemed to be aware of the fact, for she had already directed chakra to heal them. His eyes locked onto hers again, and her heart fluttered. Their eyes had met many times before over the years. But somehow, this was different. Something in his expression was different.

She watched, transfixed, as the onyx orbs slowly bled crimson and he whipped his head around. The Sharingan eyes instantly found their target. A brown-haired boy and a purple-haired girl were standing by a tree not far from where he and Sakura were positioned on the ground. Both the unfamiliar boy and his team-mate looked utterly terrified and guilty as sin as his devastating glare settled on them. A low growl escaped the depths of Sasuke's throat as he released Sakura and made to move toward the ones who were responsible for her getting hurt.

They would pay; to hell with the rules and to hell with Tsunade's threats. Not only had they ensured that he lost the Golden Ribbon to Naruto, but they had also injured one of his most important people.

He didn't exactly know what he had in mind. Perhaps he would use Katon. He was in the mood for some fireworks now. Or perhaps he would summon Chidori Nagashi and charge it into the kunai looped onto his belt. Perhaps he would use his own hands to deal whichever punishment he saw fit.

Sakura saw the clear intent in his eyes and reached out in alarm, grasping onto his right arm before he could completely pull away from her. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his white shirt.

'Sasuke-kun!'

He gritted his teeth, summoning a patience he didn't usually otherwise possess.

'Let go.'

'Please Sasuke-kun, we'll be disqualified!'

'So what?' Came his dead-pan response. 'Let go, Sakura.'

'No!' The medic-nin persisted, tightening her hold. She had no doubt that he would gravely injure the two responsible for the detonating kunai stunt and she couldn't allow that to happen, regardless of how angry as she was about it herself. She would not allow months of progress and good behaviour on Sasuke's part to vanish in a moment of fury. 'Let Tsunade- shishou deal with it!'

The muscles in his arm beneath her gripping hands were painfully tense.

Sakura bit her lower lip anxiously, when her eyes suddenly lit up as a thought occurred to her. She gathered the scattered ribbons around her with one hand and got to her feet, pulling at Sasuke's arm insistently, trying to draw his attention back to her.

'Sasuke-kun, Naruto and Lee are still going for the Golden Ribbon! We can make it back first, and nullify their advantage!'

Sasuke was still glaring up at the cowering brown-haired boy and purple-haired girl with murderous killing intent. His concentrated look of venom was not broken when the bushes rustled behind them and Ino and Shikamaru appeared in the clearing, finally catching up. They both glanced at Sakura and Sasuke curiously, and Ino called out to her friend.

'Eh?! Forehead? What are you doing standing around?! You didn't get the Golden Ribbon already, did you?!'

Shikamaru shook his head. 'They don't have it, it's just ahead! Quit being so bothersome to carry and hold on!'

As they took off once more, Sakura tugged on Sasuke's arm pleadingly again. 'Please, Sasuke-kun! We can still win this! But we have to get moving now; Kiba and Chouji and the other team might be heading back already and-'

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, knowing she was right. Beating up the people who had hurt her would be satisfying, but he would pay for it dearly. No matter how much he wanted to seriously injure the perpetrators, he knew it would be a stupid thing to do. And Sasuke was not mindless. So he did the impossible. For her sake. He swallowed his anger and turned his eyes away from the relieved culprits.

'Sasuke-!' Sakura began again, but was abruptly cut off as in the blink of an eye he had gathered her in his arms again and began tearing back in the direction of the finish line.

**Author's Note**

_So there you have it guys and girls, the continuation of the last chapter__!And what a long continuation it is eh?** Please let me know what you all think by hitting that review button!**__ Remember reviews are very important to me and they motivate me to update sooner, as evidence of the frequency of my last three updates should prove! I've updated this twice over before my main beyblade fic which my bey fans are probably gonna grill me for. Umm, whoops? xD So ease meh stress by leaving me feedback m'kay?_

_I also really wanna know what everyone thought of the 'Thank You' flashback scene. It was hard for me to write up, because it had to be PERFECT. I hope I didn't mess it up! Did I manage to capture all the feelings of the scene? Did I keep Sasuke IC? I mean he can't have just put her on the bench and waltzed out of Konoha singing 'Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to revenge I go!' xD. He had to have at LEAST looked at her one last time or something right?! Or is that just my SasuSaku fangirl wishful self talking? xD But yeah do let me know what y'all think._

_OK so we've got about two chapters of this small swap fic left (BlueGreen I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER TWINNEH!), and there'll be more SasuSaku before the end of it OBVIOUSLY xD So even if the main part of the race is over, there's still lots of interaction to look forward to folks! You never know, I may even add an extra chapter or two, depends on how the next one develops I guess. And this was originally only gonna be 5 chapters, so much for organised planning! xD _

_Anyways thanks SO MUCH for all the reviews of the last chapter! You guys and girls are all great! I'll be reaching 200 soon at this rate, AWESOME! xD I'll try to get around to sending some responses soon. I'll start working on the next one after I update my long delayed bey fic, so watch my profile page for any more updates on story status. See youz all next update and thanks for reading!_


	6. The Result

**Chapter VI: The Result**

**

* * *

**

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

'S...Sakura-chan,' Naruto managed, wincing in great agony as pain assaulted his injured ribs. The kyuubi's malicious chakra was already beginning to work at healing his wounds, but he still felt as though he had been crushed by a giant meteor.

Pein was a formidable enemy. Naruto's initial fury at finally encountering the self-proclaimed 'god' who had killed his beloved sensei Jiraiya had quickly given way to the sinking realisation that his foe was beyond anything he had ever faced before.

He had left Naruto's beloved home in ruins and killed many villagers and ninja along his path of rampant destruction. Now he was targeting the blond kyuubi vessel himself, and somehow, in her desperation to put distance between Naruto and Pein, Sakura had become entangled in the fray.

Kakashi was now buying them time, receiving back up in the form of Gai. Tsunade was doing her best to protect whatever remnants of Konoha remained standing and had assured Sakura that she would join the fight against Pein as soon as she was sure that the rest of the village had been secured.

Naruto knew there was only so much time-out he could afford to take. His elders needed help, and fast. But his first priority was to get Sakura far away from a menacing danger that she couldn't handle alone.

He had thought that she had been at the hospital, and she had been. But on learning that her team-mate had returned, she had left the healing to others, and had arrived on the scene just in time to destroy one of Pein's monstrous summonings with a single chakra charged punch. She had taken it out before it could sneak up on an occupied Naruto.

This unexpected display of power had caught Pein's attention. He had silently labelled the pink-haired little girl an obvious nuisance, and reacted accordingly. Naruto had dived to protect his precious team-mate before his foe's crippling long-range attack could reach her.

They had both been flung back by a particularly violent attack before Kakashi and Gai had stepped in to distract Pein's attention away from the two teenagers. Sakura was doing her best to heal, but she had expended much chakra already and was starting to run on reserve.

She was gripping onto his arm with her un-gloved left hand. Her hold was tight, unconsciously betraying her fear and anxiety.

Naruto's concern for her wellbeing began to bubble almost hysterically within his chest. This was a real fight, more treacherous than any other he had ever encountered before. He had to put his Sage training to use if he wanted to stand any chance of salvaging the battle. But he couldn't concentrate if Sakura was in danger. Just the thought of anything happening to her struck fear into his heart.

'Let go!' He urged her. 'Y...you have to get away!'

Sakura's head snapped around, and she met his blue eyes with angry, apple green ones.

'Idiot!' She gasped, her own limbs screaming from over-exertion. 'We're a team-!'

Naruto shook his head, too afraid for her to notice her uncharacteristic and open display of loyalty toward him. 'But Sakura-chan, there're other people who need your help-'

'I won't stand back and watch you fight alone anymore!' She retorted angrily, her stubborn spirit shining through brilliant, bright eyes. 'This time we fight together!'

He met her gaze directly, and a silent look of understanding passed between them. In that fleeting instant, he suddenly thought that he finally understood the dynamic of their relationship. If their bond of friendship had been a loose yarn before, it now became a mighty rope knotted in a hundred places.

It was then that they both felt an ominous tremor in the already cracked ground.

Sakura's breath hitched and Naruto's eyes widened. The ground beneath their feet was shifting, and with a horrible suddenness, began to crumble.

'Shit!' Naruto swore loudly, clamouring for something to hold onto, but he could already feel the earth beginning to sink. Sakura's grip on his arm tightened. She was a master at chakra control. She knew that it was up to her to get Naruto out of his current predicament; _their_ current predicament.

'Hold on, Naruto!' She called back to him. Stationed just ahead of him, she was on slightly raised ground, and waited for the right moment to take a daring leap toward stable ground. The problem was finding a stable landing place, as all around them yawning, splintering chasms were materialising, breaking into abysses that provided a first class ticket to the black unknown below.

She thought she saw the earth ahead stabilise from the receding tremors, and lunged forward, using her inhuman, chakra regulated strength to drag Naruto with her. She threw Naruto forward and he managed to catch hold of the edge of ground that had broken apart. He scrambled, struggling to find a foothold to save himself from a deadly fall that didn't look as though it had an end. Next to him, Sakura was using chakra control to save herself from an equally premature demise, hanging off the edge with her glowing left hand gripping tightly onto a jagged protrusion of rock.

It was an easy clamber to reach safety. But then another violent quake came, and with it a flaming trail of combusting matter.

Sakura's heart leapt as she instinctively manoeuvred toward Naruto. As she did so, she concentrated just enough chakra into her right hand to provide it with the task of keeping them both gripping onto whatever they could. But Naruto was unable to avoid a particularly large fragment of rock in time and the foothold beneath his feet crumbled. He lost his grip, yelling as he fell. Adrenaline fuelled Sakura's veins and she pushed herself away from the cliff-like formation and lunged toward her friend.

Although she managed to grab his right wrist, her own right arm betrayed her as she caught hold of a protruding rock, the already pulled muscle twisting in agony.

She cried out as blinding pain shot through her. Her concentrated chakra faltered as her fingers crinkled together in anguish. Her medical mind instantly knew that her muscle was torn. Naruto's additional weight meant that there was nowhere else to go but down. Sharp rock edges sliced into her body, grazing and cutting as she slipped down the face of uprooted ground.

'Sakura-chan!' Naruto shouted, more afraid for her than for his own safety. He saw that she was injured and yanked his wrist out of her hand, kicking against a large piece of falling broken rock and diving to his right with arms outstretched, meaning to catch her.

But Naruto had never been the one to catch Sakura, and a greater piece of burning rock conspired against him, intercepting and making him lose momentum as he was forced to shield his face.

'Damn it! SAKURA-CHAN!' He yelled, his arms flailing with panic in a desperate attempt to fight away the burning debris and somehow catch his team-mate.

A sudden, strong hold on his left wrist pulled him back, and his screaming shoulder almost dislocated from the abrupt change in fall direction. His head snapped up and his eyes widened until they became as round as saucers. An astonished splutter escaped the blonde's lips. He was too shocked to feel relieved, or angry, or any of the other things he would have otherwise felt on more stable ground.

Piercing crimson eyes stared back down at him, and Naruto's relief was significantly numbed by surprise when he heard Sakura release a strange half-gasp, half-whimper beside him as she tilted her face up in turn to gaze upon the person who had securely caught the wrist of her aching right arm.

The face was painfully familiar. The form of Sharingan was not.

Caught in a cruel state of stupor, Sakura could not tear her eyes away from the figure standing in perfect balance over them. His form cast a shadow down upon them, a shield from the glare of the sun high up behind him. Blindly, she reached out and clutched onto the only thing she knew to be real at that moment - Naruto's unoccupied right hand. In an automatic and thoughtless reflex his fingers closed around hers.

This gesture of unity did not escape the notice of their saviour. His eyes momentarily broke away from Naruto's and glanced briefly, unreadably, at Sakura. They flickered back to the blond boy mere seconds later, and he surprised them both further by speaking.

Although his words were sardonic, his tone of voice and face remained expressionless.

'Hn. Still weighing me down.'

Naruto and Sakura's respective feelings of betrayal, hurt and fury were rendered mute by the sheer magnitude of their mutual confusion. They stared stupidly up at the person who maintained a firm hold on both their wrists; the individual who had saved them both from what would have otherwise been a crippling fall.

Their former team-mate. Their long-lost friend. An Akatsuki-cloak clad, stoic faced, Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

With the last remaining Uchiha's sheer speed, there was never any doubt that they would cross the finish line first. Sasuke and Sakura came to a smooth stop before Gai, promptly inflicting the undesirable condition known as 'a hanging jaw' on the unfortunate and odd-looking man. Kakashi, standing beside him, crinkled a lone eye shut, giving his life-long rival and friend a commiserating slap on the back.

'Ah. Looks like I won the bet. Better luck next time, eh?'

'DAMN YOU HATAKE KAKASHI!' Gai managed to curse (through floods of tears).

Sasuke's arm loosened and slipped away from Sakura's midriff. He quickly stepped back, and an odd sense of relief flooded through him as he restored a more familiar and comfortable distance between them. Letting her go made him realise just how closely he had been holding her throughout the entire duration of the race.

As Sasuke stepped away from her, Sakura suddenly became terribly conscious of the stares from the watching crowd of villagers.

Some middle-aged women were whispering to each other, pointing and shaking their heads at her. A sinking feeling filled her stomach. What if her parents had decided to come along? They had never approved of Sasuke and his actions, and her father would give her an earful if he saw that she had teamed up with the former nukenin.

She turned her eyes away, frustration welling up deep within her. Most of the villagers were blinded by misconceptions and prejudice toward Sasuke solely because he was an Uchiha. According to their simple philosophy, Uchiha were powerful and therefore unstable and unpredictable. The villagers hadn't bothered to head to the library and brush up on their history. They hadn't made an effort to understand Sasuke and the reasons behind all his actions. They merely labelled him a former-nukenin and traitor, even though he had never truly sided with the enemy.

Sakura often felt like the only people who understood the raven-haired shinobi were Naruto, herself and Kakashi. She briefly wondered if Sasuke felt the same, or if he still considered himself alone in the world.

She desperately hoped that he did not. It had been difficult rebuilding their fragile bonds of friendship with him, but she, Naruto and Kakashi were doing their best. She hoped that Sasuke noticed and knew that they were there for him.

But of course, it was always impossible to predict what Sasuke was thinking. His bottomless black eyes were as cool and unreadable as ever.

'GYAH!' A mighty shout snapped the rosette haired kunoichi out of her thoughts. Lee came skidding over the finish line, carrying a very nauseous looking Tenten on his back. The lanky, black-haired boy released his team-mate, dropping her less than gracefully onto the floor. From the sidelines, Neji positively glared at his friend's ungallant behaviour. But Lee took no notice, triumphantly holding up arms that were laced with many ribbons.

'Gai-sensei!' He proudly addressed his role-model with wide (and sparkling) eyes. 'We have surely collected the most ribbons! Youth has prevailed!'

'Lee!' Gai roared at his student. 'You came second-!' (Here he pointed animatedly toward Sasuke and Sakura) 'To Kakashi's team!'

Lee blinked, finally noticing the competition. Sasuke stared back at him blankly, whilst Sakura looked almost apologetic. Lee's odd eyes promptly began to fill with tears and disappointment caused his shoulders to drop.

'Beaten by Sasuke! And Sakura-san! Oh, Gai-sensei!'

'Oh, Lee!' His teacher echoed in dismay.

'Oh, Gai-sensei!'

'Oh, LEE!'

Sasuke shifted his head, trying to recall if it were indeed possible that the two had always been _that_ weird.

'I have failed you Gai-sensei!' Lee cried. 'What form of punishment could possibly compensate for the shame of my failure?!'

Gai considered, and then raised a fist, decreeing loudly,

'Five thousand and one press-ups!'

Lee gasped, star-struck.

'Amazing, Gai-sensei! Only you would know the correct amount needed!'

_What a pair of idiots_, Sasuke thought.

A flash of yellow, orange, purple and black streamed past the finish line, as Naruto and Hinata clocked in at third place.

The blond haired young man was breathless as he set a tomato faced Hinata down. He then noticed that both Lee and Sasuke had returned before him.

'Aw, no!' He whinged. 'Third?!'

Sasuke directed a mocking smirk at his best friend. The Dobe was still as slow as ever.

Naruto glared. Then his anger rapidly drained away, and was replaced by a small, wicked smile.

Both Sakura and Sasuke stared at their Team 7 team-mate suspiciously.

'Eheh heh heh...you haven't won yet Teme. Look what I've got!' He whipped out the Golden Ribbon and waved it tauntingly before Sasuke.

Sasuke was annoyed, but played it cool.

'That won't be enough, Dobe.'

Naruto chuckled.

'We'll just see about that!'

'Now, now.' Kakashi cut in, lone eye all smiles as he rounded his three star students together. 'I think it's safe to say that at least one member of Team Kakashi will be crowned the winner, eh?'

'Yeah, yeah Kakashi-sensei – me!' Naruto grinned.

'BAKA!' Sakura hit him lightly over his head. 'Just wait for the results!'

The remaining teams were arriving. Ino and Shikamaru secured fourth place, followed closely behind by Kiba and his partner. Chouji rolled in at sixth place. The last to cross the line were the team with the red-haired boy and the black-haired girl.

Sasuke noticed that the purple-haired girl and the brown-haired boy responsible for Sakura's fall were not present (wisely so).

Ino observed that Sakura had reached the finish line before her, and screeched at her friend.

'Forehead! You better not have the Golden Ribbon!'

Naruto waved said item pointedly, relishing the annoyed look on both Ino and Shikamaru's faces.

Tsunade's voice crackled over the microphone once Yamato had informed her that all the competing teams had returned.

'All teams submit your ribbons to Shizune!'

Naruto rushed around, comparing ribbon count with the other teams before submitting his own. Chouji had already shrugged his obvious defeat off and moved away to grab an energy compensating snack. Shino joined Kiba, regarding his ribbons analytically behind black-tinted glasses.

'You will not win.' He stated.

'Huh?!' Kiba glanced up from where he was greeting Akamaru.

'How do I know? Because you have not collected enough ribbons.'

'Geez, shut up!' Kiba glared at his friend. 'Whose side are you on, anyway?!

'I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side.' Shino lamented matter-of-factly.

Kiba sweat-dropped.

'Right.' He muttered, and left his strange friend to submit his ribbons.

'All teams standby. We are now calculating the results!' The Hokage barked into the microphone, as Shizune promptly began to confer with the referees.

Naruto rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Surrounded by miniature, adoring fans, he was very much in his element.

'If that idiot wins, we'll never hear the end of it.' Shikamaru muttered to Ino, who was still distraught at having lost out on the Golden Ribbon.

'If he wins, it's your fault for not running fast enough!' She admonished him. The poor young man sighed tiredly. It wasn't as if she had done much during the race, and still she expected instant victory? Why were women so troublesome?

Meanwhile, Sasuke was _just_ about to move away from Sakura when he noticed that Lee had approached her. The Uchiha decided to stay put. Although his head was turned disinterestedly away from the two, he silently waited to hear what the lanky youth had to say.

'Sakura-san!' Lee addressed the pink-haired medic nin with big, round eyes. He raised his right hand and placed it over his heart. Sakura shifted on her feet, becoming rather embarrassed when Lee simply stared at her. Sasuke noticed the dragging silence, and turned his head, not quite looking at Lee. It was a wordless order, demanding that Lee either said what he had to say, or quit his shameless staring and moved away.

The subtle gesture worked. Lee piped up, voice passionate with emotion.

'I wanted to let you know, Sakura-san, that I wish to win this race, but if I must lose it, then I would be honoured to finish second place only to you. I expect only greatness from the fairest, most beauti-'

He broke off abruptly as he felt the weight of an intense gaze on him. Sasuke was now staring at him. Although his face was neutral, his eyes were hard, as if daring Lee to complete his cheesy compliment in the mighty Uchiha's presence.

Sasuke looked away nonchalantly a moment later, before Sakura could notice that he was responsible for cutting Lee off. Lee didn't quite know why he always felt so uncomfortable talking to Sakura in Sasuke's presence. Gai's star pupil coughed, sensing a change in manner was in order, and then bowed politely.

'May the best team win.' He finished simply, and then turned away to rejoin a very irritated looking Neji and Tenten. The brown-haired kunoichi had just finished informing Neji that she was sure they would lose their crown this year.

Sakura shrugged off her confusion at Lee's odd change in behaviour, and glanced to her right, just in time to see Sasuke stalk away from her. She sighed, shoulders dropping. She would be a fool if she denied that old feelings had begun resurfacing during the course of the race. Sasuke had been very protective of her; but then, he always had been when it came to Team 7.

And yet, every time she remembered the way he had carried her, and the way he had caught her when she had fallen at the very end...

Sakura put a hand over her face in dismay. She was beginning to think that teaming up with her childhood crush had been a mistake.

Ever since Sasuke's return to Konoha, she had worked very hard at making sure she showed no romantic interest in him. Her days as a love-sick, idolising fangirl had long since died away, but she had to admit that Sasuke still fascinated her. He was an intricate puzzle, and her intelligent, analytical mind couldn't help but want to solve the mystery behind that chiselled, porcelain exterior.

Old habits died hard, she supposed.

As she was considering this, a slender, pale arm suddenly draped around her shoulders, and she turned her head to find Ino, with a very sugary, very worrying smile plastered on her glossed lips.

'Oh _Sa-ku-ra_!' She sang sweetly. 'Are you going to fill me in now?'

'Huh?' Her pink-haired friend replied, clueless.

Ino's smile was positively dripping with glee.

'Oh, you know Forehead,' She continued casually. 'How you were clinging onto Sasuke-kun so tightly? How the front of your body was pressed against his? How he didn't even seem to mind?!' Her voice rose progressively until it finished with a shriek.

Sakura was furious at the tell-tale blush that blossomed to life in her cheeks. She glanced around, horrified at Ino's shrill pitch, terrified that anybody might have overheard. Luckily, everybody else seemed occupied, and Sasuke had walked quite a distance away. She spied him now standing in silence beside Kakashi, way out of ear-shot.

'Q...quiet Ino!' Sakura hissed angrily at the gossip-loving blonde.

Ino's baby-blue eyes twinkled. 'There's no way you're over him, Forehead! Why don't you just admit it?!'

'We're just friends!' Sakura insisted.

Ino giggled. 'Maybe for now. But not forever!'

Dread knotted deep within Sakura's gut. What was Ino implying?

'What do you mean?' She managed to ask, not particularly wanting to know.

'Oh, _come on_, Sakura! Get a clue!' Ino sighed impatiently, resting the side of her blonde head against the top of Sakura's pink one. 'I found Shika-kun, and I grew up. But since you're SO determined to live in the past, I suppose you need some EAF IAF!'

'EAF IAF...?' Sakura echoed blankly. It sounded like one of Akamaru's barking expressions.

'Emergency Assistance from Ino and Friends!' The taller girl declared, as if it were the most obvious fact in the universe. She regarded her polished nails, smiling in satisfaction. 'You're still so hopeless without me!'

Sakura began to panic. She should have known that Ino would make a mountain out of a molehill. Teaming up with Sasuke had definitely been a very, _very_ big mistake. Were they all conspiring to make an absolute fool of her?

'Please, Ino.' Sakura pleaded with her friend. 'I've worked so hard to keep everything normal. Don't-'

'Normal?!' Screeched Ino. 'You call Haruno Sakura standing frigidly next to Uchiha Sasuke normal?!'

Sakura considered this statement. She didn't really stand that way next to him - did she?

'It's like you're terrified of standing next to him for more than a minute!' Ino continued. 'He doesn't bite you know. Well,' She smiled suggestively. 'If he does, I'm sure you'd enjoy it.'

In a flash, Sakura's face went from pale pink to beetroot and she jerked away from her friend, waving a fist threateningly before her.

'SHUT UP INO PIG!'

'Make me, Forehead!' Ino stuck out her tongue in response. Then her eyes brightened as she recalled something. 'Oh, I almost forgot! Did you know? Naruto told us that Sasuke-kun was going to get the Golden Ribbon for sure. He practically had it! But then he heard a damsel in distress screaming, and forgot all about the ribbon, and went back for her.' She gasped dramatically. 'Isn't that SO romantic?! Who would've thought that the Great Uchiha Ice Cube would do that for Little Forehead Girl?!'

She giggled again and then skipped away, long, silky, sunshine hair swirling behind her. Sakura gaped after her, shock rapidly beginning to replace her fury.

Had Sasuke really chosen _her_ over the Golden Ribbon? _Her_ over a guaranteed victory? It seemed impossible to believe considering how competitive the raven-haired young man was in general, especially when it came to bettering Naruto.

She could have easily handled the fall herself; after all, she was a healer, and any damage would have quickly been repaired. She knew that Sasuke knew it too and yet he had still chosen to return to her side.

_Why, Sasuke-kun?_ She silently wondered, utterly confused.

If they finished second, then it meant that Sasuke had thrown the race away for her sake – willingly.

She prayed that they would not finish second. She would never hear the end of it from Naruto or Ino – and neither would Sasuke.

_This is so embarrassing_, she thought despairingly, wanting to disappear into a hole in the ground. Suddenly, just looking at Sasuke seemed like the most difficult thing to do in the world. Why had Ino told her? Why did things always have to be complicated when it came to the last remaining Uchiha?

Sighing heavily, she broke out of her troubled thoughts as Tsunade's voice echoed through the microphone again.

'The results have been calculated! All teams reassemble as we announce the winner of this year's Ribbon Race!'

The teams congregated before Tsunade, who stood next to the King and Queen's thrones. Yamato and Shizune held the King and Queen's crowns, sceptres and cloaks, respectively.

Seeing the matching thrones and the crowns, Sasuke briefly and half-heartedly hoped that he would _not_ be crowned winner.

'Names will be listed in reverse order – from last, up to first place! But before I begin,' The Hokage barked, 'Let me remind you all that cheaters are not permitted in this contest! Therefore, Hoshino Sora and Yu Kimi!'

The two aforementioned individuals, who had been found and rounded up by Anko, gulped both from the furious tone of the Hokage's voice and the discreet but positively murderous look directed their way by Sasuke.

'For the foul play our referees witnessed you engaging in, your ribbon count has been nullified and you are therefore disqualified from the results count! Additionally! You will be disciplined in my office at 19:00 hours! Let this serve as a warning to any future competitors who think they can get away with any form of cheating and misconduct!'

As the crowd booed, Kimi burst into tears, and Sora looked equally as devastated. Personally disciplined by Tsunade herself? They would have bruises for weeks.

'Now, to the results!' The Sannin continued. 'In seventh place – Akagi Lirith and Kasai Ryuto!'

The crowd clapped, although practically nobody had been supporting the unknown pair (apart from their parents and siblings). Kurenai stepped forth and placed a wreath of flowers around both contestants.

'In sixth place – Akimichi Chouji and Koga Chika!'

Chouji blinked in surprise as he continued to munch on a handful of snacks. How had he managed to avoid last place? Fans of Team 10 cheered and Chouji blushed when Kurenai placed a light kiss on his forehead, as she settled the wreath of flowers over his head.

'In fifth place –' Tsunade continued. 'Inuzuka Kiba and Ishino Hisae!'

Akamaru barked excitedly as his master was awarded a wreath of flowers. He glared across at Hinata, who twiddled her index fingers together and embarrasedly avoided his eyes at the knowledge that she had bettered him. Naruto however, pulled faces.

'Eheh heh heh! Kiba!' The blond couldn't help but taunt. 'What was that about you and Miss Nameless beating me and Hinata-chan?!'

'Grrr...!' Kiba growled, but felt a little better when Kurenai kissed his forehead too.

'Naruto!' Tsunade admonished at him. 'You will be silent until all the results have been announced!'

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, grinning apologetically.

'In fourth place – Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino!'

The crowd cheered and booed in equal measures at the result.

_Yes!_ Sakura silently celebrated. She had beaten Ino! That was a victory in itself. She peered around Sasuke, to where her blonde friend was looking distraught. She immediately met Sakura's mischevous eye, and glared daggers when her pink-haired friend playfully stuck out her tongue.

'Why you little Forehead!' She shrieked, before turning and taking it out on poor Shikamaru, who could only sigh as Kurenai smiled sympathetically and placed the flowers around their necks.

'In third place!' Tsunade swiftly continued, 'Rock Lee and Tenten! This means that Tenten has been unable to retain last year's victory, and a new winner will be crowned!

'NO! Gai-sensei, I have failed you!' Lee howled. Neji and Tenten both glared at him, furious at having lost their title.

Gai could merely sob in return, as Kakashi relished the fact that at least one member of Team 7 would indeed be crowned winner. He always did like to win a bet.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, a huge grin plastered on his face.

'This is it, Sasuke, Sakura-chan! The moment of truth! Either way, it's a Team 7 victory, so no hard feelings-'

'Don't give us that, you baka!' Sakura hissed across at him. 'You'll cry for a week if you lose!'

'Aw, Sakura-chan, why do you always hurt my feelings?' The blond pouted.

Sasuke was quite happy to listen to them bicker, but silently hoped that he hadn't thrown victory away when he had chosen to catch Sakura.

If Naruto won, he would never hear the end of it. If Naruto won, he would be _seriously_ annoyed.

'In second place-!' Tsunasde paused, eyes darting from Sasuke and Sakura, to Naruto and an anxious Hinata. 'By a single point!'

'Oooh!' The crowd chorused at the close call.

Naruto was gripping poor Hinata's wrist so tightly in nervous anticipation that her little bones were beginning to ache. Still, it stopped her from fainting on the spot.

Tsunade waited for dramatic effect. Everybody could practically hear the invisible drum rolls beating.

_I can't lose to that Teme_, Naruto thought, blue eyes huge as he awaited the definitive verdict.

'...' Tsunade's rosy lips pursed together tightly as she met Sakura's eyes momentarily.

Her green-eyed apprentice's heart sank in understanding.

'Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura!'

The crowd exploded. Naruto exploded. Sasuke's bubble of arrogant self-confidence exploded.

Sakura's head lowered in embarrassment as she heard Ino's voice mock her.

'Aw, Forehead! What a sacrifice!'

They had lost because of her. Sasuke had thrown victory away because of _her_. She could barely bring herself to glance up at her team-mate. He was ever the picture of stoic perfection; but she knew, deep inside, that he was disappointed at losing out to their fellow Team 7 member.

'And in first place – this year's champions by just one point! Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata! Congratulations!'

The crowd erupted once again.

Sasuke internally cringed at Tsunade's announcement. This couldn't be happening. Defeat was something he didn't take well and finishing second to Naruto, his ultimate rival, was unbearable. He should have known better than to compete in such a silly race. What had gotten into him?

The answer came in the form of the soft, apologetic voice beside him.

'Sasuke-kun.' Sakura whispered, and strangely, for a split-second, her words reminded him of her younger, more vulnerable self; the old Sakura, who had only ever wanted to please him. 'I'm sorry we didn't win.'

He briefly wondered what on earth she was apologising for. It was his fault they had lost. If he had only left her and gone for the ribbon...

In reality, he knew that option had always been out of the question, even when he knew that she was now more than capable of looking after herself.

Old habits died hard, he supposed.

Sasuke raised his head and with great pain glanced to his left, to where an ecstatic Naruto stood with a very breathless looking Hinata.

The blond boy's face was about to crack from the sheer scale of his triumphant grin.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in irritation as he met his best friend's twinkling eyes.

_Shit_, he silently swore, as a sinking, impending feeling of doom settled in the pits of his stomach. Here came the dreaded gloating.

**Author's Note**

_Bwahahaha! Poor, poor Sasuke. But Sakura's worth more than a silly victory __neh? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I made sure to fill it with SasuSaku moments. What will happen next now that Naruto and Hinata have been crowned winners?! Find out in the next instalment boys and girls!_

_I'm SO sorry for the huge wait between updates. I've been super busy with stuff. Thanks for being so patient everyone! And on that note,_ _a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you reading and reviewing my story. I wish I could reply to all reader reviews but alas, I don't have that sort of time these days. Heck, I'm struggling to find time just to sit and type up chapters but I am DETERMINED to finish this! I do want you all to know how much I'm appreciating all the feedback though. Please keep it coming!_

_If I don't update before Christmas, I'd like to wish all of you who celebrate a very Merry Xmas and a fantastic New Year! See you next update! Toodles now ; )_


	7. The Consequences

_The chapter name relates to facing the consequences of the events of the race, i.e., Sakura and Sasuke becoming aware of what has passed between them throughout the story. Bwahaha. Enjoy the SasuSaku goodness that follows!_

**Chapter VII: The Consequences**

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

The devastating power of the explosion stole the very will to breathe from her lungs. One moment she had been by Ino and Shikamaru's side; the next, she opened her mouth in a soundless cry of agony as she was torn apart from her friends.

'SAKURAAA!' Ino's hysterical scream was drowned away in the deafening din as an unbearable heat assaulted Sakura's senses. Thick, black smoke was suffocating her, blurring her vision with stinging, blinding tears. She felt as though she were being burned alive.

A terrible force flung her back, straight toward the jagged surface of a crumbled stone wall. Her world plunged into darkness before she slammed into it.

For what seemed like an eternity, she floated in a sea of endless grey. Mercifully, there was no more pain. The small light that flickered in the foggy dimness was negligible at first, but grew steadily until it became a blazing, undeniable fire. With it the pain came rushing back with startling suddenness and Sakura gasped, eyes flying open.

Disorientation cleared enough for her to realise that she was sprawled, half sitting, and half lying, on the ground. The choking blanket of smoke still hung heavily in the air. Everything else was eerily quiet, save for the crackling sound of burning flames around her.

She gradually became conscious of warmth behind her. Her head was resting back against something … something solid. A shoulder, she dimly realised. And she could feel her back pressing against a chest – masculine - that rose and fell in slow, even breathing. Through the haze she made out two long legs on either side of her. A badly scratched arm rested limply on the cracked ground to her left. She felt the cool, light touch of fingertips just above her right wrist.

With great, agonising effort, Sakura forced her aching limbs to move. She shifted, scooting away from the body of the person who had cushioned her from slamming into a wall of jagged, crippling rock. She turned her head to know their identity and her breath caught in her throat. Green eyes widened in shock at what she saw.

Raven strands of hair were plastered against a pool of crimson seeping from the nasty gash on the left side of his forehead. There was blood on the crumbled wall behind him. His heavy, dark lashes were lowered but rose slightly on sensing her movement.

For a long moment they simply stared at each other; she coming to terms with what he had done for her while he silently, nonchalantly, dismissed it as nothing.

'S ... Sakura ...' he rasped, wincing from the sharp, throbbing pain in his head that protested against him speaking. 'Y ... you're heavy.'

She could only gaze at him in wide-eyed, open-mouthed astonishment. She was trembling, drowning in an ocean of childhood recollections that stubbornly refused to die. She was suddenly twelve years old again, gazing into the dizzy, disorientated, bottomless black eyes of a boy whose body was covered in sharp, stinging needles, a boy she had been helpless to assist.

The memory faded but his eyes remained.

Sakura reached out to him, to his wounds, with tender, shaking hands, hands that he now knew possessed the ability to heal.

'Sasuke-kun,' she whispered. At the sound of his name on her lips, his eyelids lowered again tiredly and he finally succumbed to exhaustion.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

He had only looked away for a moment, but knew all too well who it was that now stood by his left side. An arm draped casually over his shoulders and Sasuke stared vehemently at an unfortunate spot on the ground. If looks could kill, the poor patch of grass would have withered away in an instant.

An exaggerated sigh met his ears.

'Tsk, that's life, eh Sasuke?' Naruto's voice spoke up cheerfully. 'You win some and you lose some; except I'm always beating you, eheh heh heh heh heh!'

Sasuke gritted his teeth. _Keep cool, don't react, keep cool, don't react, keep cool_ ... he chanted the words over and over in his mind like a mantra. But unknown to him his own body language was betraying him.

Naruto examined his best friend's face closely. He could see the clenched muscles in Sasuke's jaw line, recognised the slight, irritated tilt of one dark brow. The blonde's grin widened; he was confident that he could force a reaction out of the young Uchiha with just a few more cunningly selected statements.

'I knew I would win,' Naruto boasted, 'this is all part of my plan, my vision and my dream to be Hokage!' His bright blue eyes twinkled as something suddenly crossed his mind. Leaning closer to Sasuke, he added sympathetically in a loud whisper, 'Hey, hey, teme, I'm sure it wasn't all _your_ fault that you weren't fast enough. Sakura-chan _is_ a little heavy isn't she?'

_Sakura ... heavy?_ Sasuke might have told her so in the past, but in reality she hardly weighed a thing. While he was thinking this, Naruto was continuing blithely on, unaware of a certain presence looming behind him.

'But I bet it was all worth it, eh Sasuke? Carrying Sakura-chan like that must've been really – yow!' An elbow slammed into his ribs and the blond yelped, suddenly doubling over, clutching at his left side. He now used Sasuke as support, cringing as he turned his eyes onto an angry Sakura.

'What did you just say, Naruto?!' she demanded indignantly. She was wearing both her and Sasuke's flower wreaths; Kurenai had known better than to attempt to place the wreath around Sasuke's neck. The expression that was now on Sakura's face was one that spelt a swift and impending doom for the Fourth's son.

Naruto turned two shades paler. He had seen Ino approach Sakura and drag her a short distance away and had used the opportunity to sneak up to Sasuke in the belief that he was safe from the pink-haired medic's wrath. How wrong he had been.

'Eheh heh, I ... err ... I was just congratulating Sasuke on a good race! R ... right Sasuke?'

Sasuke smothered the self-satisfied smirk that threatened to break out on his lips. He knew that he could twist what Naruto had said and lead Sakura to give the blond a black eye. As tempted as he was to open his mouth and cause trouble, he decided against it. Naruto had won fairly and squarely on his part, after all. It was hard to swallow the defeat down for he had participated with the sole intention of winning and bettering Naruto.

At least, that was how he had started the race. At the end he had found that his priorities had switched completely. Sasuke had begun to notice things that his younger mind had never previously dwelled on; the way Sakura had clung onto him tightly, the feel of her light, feminine body behind him, against him, in his arms, the sweet vanilla and cherry-blossom scent of her hair.

It bothered him. Picking her up and catching her had always come so naturally, so innocently to him before. But she had grown up, and so had he, and now he felt awkward to do so, especially after the events of the race.

_Whatever._ It didn't mean anything, he told himself. He chanced a glance at Sakura from the corner of his vision and noticed that her cheeks were tinged an embarrassed yet charming shade of pink. She hadn't blushed like that around him since the early Genin days of Team 7, back when she had been a useless, fawning admirer. He averted his eyes back to an interesting spot on the grass. Suddenly, completely unbidden, words filled his mind, words he had heard almost a month and a half back. Words that, for reasons unknown to him, he still remembered, no matter how hard he had tried to dismiss them.

* * *

_.'Flashback"__'_

* * *

He had heard it on a day when both Naruto and Sakura had been away on a mission.

Sasuke had just finished a round of tediously tossing shuriken at targets. Despite not concentrating he had hit dead centre each time. He had left the training ground, feeling bored and very discontented, knowing full well that his every movement was being tracked. On his way back to his house, he had rounded a corner and stopped by a food store to top up on a few basic supplies.

Entering the small shop, he was browsing the shelves when the mention of his name caught his attention. It was coming from the other side of the store, separated from him by a tall row of shelves and a beaded curtain.

'-who'll support Sasuke's cause.'

He hadn't recognised the voice; it was female, but one that was unknown to him. The voice of practicality and reason in his head had instructed him to ignore the conversation. He wasn't one to normally eavesdrop, after all. He was minding his own business - he really _was_, when a high pitched second voice made him tune in again despite himself.

'Don't be silly, lots of people will. I think Sasuke-kun's gained even more admirers!'

The light gossipy tones were unmistakable in their identity. Ino was an established chatterbox, with a distinct lilt to her words. Sasuke browsed through more items, suddenly struck by a nagging curiosity. Why was Ino even talking about him? As far as he knew, the girl had wisely moved on from her childish crush on him. Why would she be discussing his admirers?

'He's lost some too,' the unfamiliar girl's voice replied dryly.

'That's life, neh?' Ino replied chirpily. 'Time changes things. I mean, look at me! A few years ago I was crazy about him! Now I really don't see what all the fuss is about-'

'Get real, Ino!' her friend interjected.

Ino giggled. 'Well, OK, he's tall, dark and incredibly handsome, and lots of girls like the sexy, brooding, renegade type, but I've got Shika-kun! Sure he annoys me and at times he's _unbearably_ lazy, but I wouldn't swap him for anyone!'

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Girls sure talked about dull things.

'Geez, you've sure grown up Ino,' the other girl sighed.

'We all had to, didn't we?' Ino replied, voice oddly serious for a moment. Then she sighed in turn. 'Some of us are too grown up now, though. Ugh!' She released a sound of frustration. 'Take Sakura for instance! All she does is go on missions or spend time helping out at the hospital. It's all work, work, work with her!'

'Maybe she's trying to keep her mind off something?' her friend put in helpfully.

'That's what I thought! But what do you think it is?' Ino's voice had taken on a teasing tone that suggested she knew exactly what the girl would answer.

Sasuke had heard enough. He reached out to quietly pick up a required food item and then he would be on his way.

'I dunno,' Ino's friend replied, 'a certain Uchiha maybe?'

Sasuke's hand paused and wavered in the air.

'Yeah, I thought so too! But she insisted to me the other day that she no longer thinks of Sasuke-kun in _that_ way. She's so convincing that I'm almost starting to believe her!' Ino exclaimed shrilly.

'Maybe it's the truth,' her friend countered calmly. 'It was only a crush for her too, right?'

Ino sighed again. 'Don't tell Forehead this,' she replied, voice dropping slightly, but not low enough that Sasuke couldn't hear her words, 'but I always thought she felt something _more_, you know? Sure it started off as a silly crush and a competition between us. We were rivals and I never would've admitted it at the time, but I could see how much she really, _really_ cared for him.'

'They were team-mates; it's completely normal,' the other girl argued.

'Yes, but it seemed to go even beyond that. We girls can tell these things, neh? All the little touches and the shy or worried little glances that Mr. Ice-Cube has always been oblivious to, and the way his leaving the village really affected her.'

'Geez, I remember that. Sakura was so down,' her friend agreed.

'Exactly!' Ino exclaimed, voice rising again. 'Then she spent years running after him with Naruto and now that he's back, she's doing absolutely _nothing_ about it! Can you believe that girl? I don't know what it means!'

'It can only mean one thing can't it?' the other girl responded.

'Eh?' Ino asked, sounding confused. 'And that is?'

'Well, she's moved on,' came the simple reply.

Sasuke mind had suddenly become completely and utterly blank. His arm had dropped and he had turned and exited the store empty-handed. He had returned to his residence feeling tired, hungry, bothered and moody. He had known why he was tired and he had known why he was hungry. He had refused, however, to acknowledge exactly why he felt bothered and moody.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

She had moved on. She had told Ino so herself. Sasuke had heard it and believed it in his careful analysis of her behaviour toward him since then. They were friends, team-mates from childhood – and that was strictly all.

_That is all_, he thought firmly. That was the way he had always wanted it to be, even on the night that she had confessed her love to him. He hadn't wanted and hadn't been able to face the reality of her feelings for him back then. But in retrospect, now that he considered it, perhaps she had merely made herself believe that she had been in love with him. Perhaps she had been so desperate that she had confused it for another type of love altogether. Perhaps all that she had said had been a lie.

The thought struck him with a suddenness that sparked a feeling akin to anger and irritation deep within him. Why was he even _thinking_ about it? He had pushed memories of _that_ night into the furthest corners of his mind, forced them into the compartment that held recollections of his childhood days as a Team 7 member. A compartment that had threatened to burst open on many occasions during his exile, and would have, had it not been for the disciplined, iron lid he had sealed firmly over it.

Those memories were innocent and precious to him. He had realised it a year earlier, in a battle with Team Hawk, a battle against Killer Bee, vessel of the eight tailed beast. Death had been staring them all in the face, and Sasuke had closed his eyes to find an image of_ them _in his mind – his old team, consisting of his silver-haired sensei, the loud-mouthed blond, and the smiling, rosette haired girl. The three people that he had not been able to forget, the three people who he had been unable to completely sever his bonds with. He had remembered them, remembered their sacrifices and their selflessness and that had given him strength – the strength needed to survive.

Tsunade's voice over the microphone drew Sasuke from his thoughts and saved Naruto from the terrible wrath of Sakura.

'It is time to crown the winners of this year's contest! Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata! Step forward!'

Poor Hinata looked as though she were still in a state of utter disbelief. Short, rapid bursts of air escaped her lips and she clutched a pale hand over her heart. This was all too much excitement for one day! First Naruto had approached her and asked her to team up with him. Then, for the entire duration of the race he had been the perfect gentleman. Her heart fluttered and soared when she recalled how it had felt to be held by him. He was adorably clumsy by nature but had done his very best to protect her from coming to any harm.

Now she was being crowned the winner of the race which meant that she would get to sit on the Queen's throne beside the King's; _her_ king. Hinata suddenly wanted to disappear into a hole in the ground. She was so hopelessly in love with Naruto that it was all too much for her to bear. Why did she have to feel this way all the time? She desperately wished that she didn't blush furiously and stammer and stumble every time Naruto's bright blue eyes glanced in her general direction.

Her pale lavender gaze darted to Sakura who was pushing a grinning Naruto away from Sasuke. Why couldn't she be more composed like Sakura was? She admired the pink-haired medic-nin for so many reasons, including her confidence and her seemingly effortless ability to adopt a completely relaxed and unruffled front in Sasuke's presence. Hinata wasn't sure she believed the rumours about Sakura relinquishing her feelings for her childhood crush. But she could understand how it felt to harbour emotions so strong that one felt the need to repress them. The only problem was that the dark-haired Hyuuga heiress wore her heart on her face and could not for the life of her pretend otherwise.

A soft pat on her back made her stiffen and she glanced to her right to find Tenten, watching her with big, inquisitive brown eyes.

'Are you alright?' she questioned.

'Y ... yes!' Hinata squeaked. Then, because she felt guilty for stealing Tenten's crown from her, the Hyuuga princess bowed apologetically. 'I ... I'm so sorry if I caused any upset! I didn't mean-'

Tenten's fine eyebrows rose and a small smile played on her lips. She motioned for the girl to straighten up again. 'No, no, congratulations,' she said kindly, 'you won fair and square and deserve the victory.'

'Thank you,' Hinata whispered in response. Tenten's smile widened and she patted the dark-haired girl again.

'Head's up! Your king's coming!' She winked and moved away as Naruto bounded over, blue eyes twinkling with merriment.

'Hinata-chan! We won! We won! I knew nobody could beat us! And I got to rub my victory in Sasuke-teme's face too, eheh heh heh!'

'You ... you did v ... very well, Naruto-kun,' Hinata managed to compliment.

Naruto blinked and then he placed a hand sheepishly to the back of his neck, lowering his eyes shyly.

'Heh ... I ... well, I didn't win all by myself, you know ...'

'Oh!' Hinata gasped, waving her hands in an agitated manner. 'No! Please, I ... I didn't do much!'

Naruto's lips curved up into a small, soft smile. Without her Byakugan, he knew he would have lost. He liked modest people and her modest words were endearing. Despite her clan's sky-high reputation, Hinata was still so humble.

_Unlike others_, Naruto snorted silently to himself, shooting a quick glance at where one _Uchiha_ Sasuke stood with Sakura.

The applauding crowd drew the blond youth out of his musings. He grinned, back on more familiar, comfortable turf, and raised his left arm to wave to the smiling villagers. He grabbed Hinata's hand with his right, pulling her forward and into the spotlight so that they were surrounded by people. Hinata's shoulders hunched reflexively and she ducked her head down, terribly embarrassed by all the attention.

'_Naruto, Naruto! Hinata, Hinata!'_ the crowd cheered.

Tsunade's voice blared out of the microphone once again. 'Yamato! Shizune! Bring forth the prizes!'

Both Yamato and Shizune hurried forward, carrying the King and Queen Crowns, sceptres and cloaks.

'Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata!' Tsunade declared, 'I officially announce you to be this year's Ribbon Race winners! Your crowning will now commence! Congratulations once again!'

The crowd erupted once more as Yamato arranged the red, velvety cloak around Naruto's shoulders. The blond beamed as he took the sceptre from the tall, brown-haired shinobi, and his grin widened further as the King's crown was set upon his head. He had finally won! Nothing could beat the feeling. Next to Yamato, Shizune was setting the Queen's crown carefully on Hinata's dark, silky head. Once it had been done, Naruto and Hinata took their places on the winners' thrones, confetti falling all around them.

Iruka approached Naruto, giving him the thumbs up.

'Way to go, Naruto! Didn't I tell you that you'd win this year for sure?'

Naruto pointed cheekily at him with the sceptre.

'It's King Naruto now, Iruka-sensei!'

Iruka chuckled, bowing in jest. 'I think you deserve a kingly treat, your Highness! How about I take you for some ramen after this?'

Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth began watering at the mere prospect. 'Wow, really? Count me in!'

While all this was going on, Neji was directing another disgusted glare at a very distraught looking Lee. Tenten, standing beside him, released a heavy sigh, but raised her hands to clap good naturedly.

Sasuke, who had been pretending not to watch the proceedings but had been secretly spying out of the corner of his eye, snorted silently and derisively in his mind. He hadn't quite expected the winners to be recognised in this manner. How silly and superfluous their crowning was. He was now genuinely glad that he hadn't won; it had saved him from having to sit on a throne with everybody's attention on him – and having to share the experience with Sakura, no less.

He'd had enough nonsense for one day. Standing to his left, Sakura was watching the celebrations, hands clasped behind her back. Without saying a word to her, he dug his hands in his pockets and began to walk away. His destination was his house, where he could close his front door and shut everybody and everything out.

He managed to walk quite a distance undetected – when Kakashi's voice sounded behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

'It's only a game, hey, Sasuke?'

'Hn,' Sasuke grunted, almost inaudibly.

Kakashi walked up to him. 'The festival's not quite over yet. Stay a while more.'

'Why?' Sasuke found himself replying in irritation. 'This was just a silly waste of time.'

Kakashi sighed heavily. He glanced back at where Naruto was grinning and waving and generally goofing around.

'You might think so,' the silver-haired Copy ninja calmly replied, 'but those young shinobi and kunoichi have been through a lot in the last year. As have you. Sometimes, it's important to unwind. Besides, it doesn't hurt, does it? You've got a lot of time to spare, haven't you?'

'…' Sasuke remained silent at that.

Kakashi sighed again, shoulders slumping slightly. Some things never changed. Then a thought occurred to him and he tried again, injecting a lighter tone into his words.

'Well, Naruto finally won this contest. He always wished that he could compete against you some day. And as silly as it all seems, it means a lot to some people here that you came, Sasuke.'

Sasuke's gaze shifted reluctantly back to the enthusiastic crowd. Sakura had just turned and noticed his absence. He saw the slight, worried shift in her expression as she searched for him, and when she finally caught sight of him standing beside Kakashi, relief seemed to flood through her. She smiled brightly, gave a small wave then turned her attention back to the crowd.

Sasuke's eyes moved to where Naruto sat at the throne. The Dobe was thoroughly enjoying being the centre of everybody's attention. He held a glass beverage in his hand and caught Sasuke's eye across the distance.

Naruto raised his glass in toast, smiling goofily. Despite himself, Sasuke felt some of his earlier irritation slip away. He would never admit it out loud, but Kakashi was right. His sensei usually got to say 'I told you so', no matter how bad he was at being punctual.

A light pat on his back indicated that Kakashi was done and Sasuke could choose to do as he pleased. He could continue to walk away as he had been doing, or he could return to Sakura's side and people-watch.

He stood indecisively for a moment. Then his decision was made for him. Sai had approached Sakura, offering her a beverage, the same, blank, irritating smile plastered on his pasty face. Sasuke was already walking slowly back toward the pink-haired medic nin. As he reached her again, a raised voice to his right caught his attention. Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba and Shino stood in a small circle. Some of them weren't taking defeat so graciously; Inuzuka Kiba to name one person in particular.

'Who're you calling slow, Ino?!' he demanded of the blonde kunoichi. Akamaru barked indignantly beside him. Ino, always up for a challenge, placed pale hands on her slender hips. Shikamaru cringed, knowing that his girlfriend was working herself into one of her troublesome states.

'You heard me!' Ino replied, sticking out her tongue. 'You were so sure you'd beat our team; well serves you right for underestimating us!'

'Grrr, you got lucky!' Kiba retorted. 'On any other day, I could've beaten you with my eyes blind-folded!'

'Hah! As if that would ever happen,' Ino scoffed, waving a perfectly manicured hand dismissively.

Lee, who had been passing the group and heard the last part, jumped forward to join the bickering.

'Next time, youth will prevail for sure!' he interjected enthusiastically.

'Oh please, not the 'youth will prevail' speech again,' Ino said, rolling her baby blue eyes.

Lee peered into her face with odd, dark eyes. He blinked once. Twice.

'Do you doubt the power of youth?' he questioned. Ino's eyebrows twitched involuntarily and she raised her hands defensively, seeking to put distance between their faces.

'Ugh, not so close, Lee!'

'You only finished one spot above us!' Kiba was going on. 'And anyway, at least one member of Team 8 finished first! Where did your other team-mate finish, huh?'

Sakura, who could hear the exchange from where she was standing, sighed and placed a palm to her forehead. Predictably, the race argument was whittling down to a dispute between Team 8 and Team 10.

Even Shikamaru was starting to look annoyed with Kiba now. Shino was the only one who remained level-headed, watching the interaction with cool detachment. In reality, he was secretly brooding about feeling left out.

'You can stop right there-' The Nara genius began, but Kiba was already going on.

Sakura stiffened, eyes widening in dread.

'Oh no!' she gasped, 'Kiba's going to-!'

'Insult Chouji's build?' Sai finished tactfully.

'I'm surprised Chouji didn't finish dead last!' Kiba was going on rudely and loudly, completely disregarding the desperate, calming hand gestures Sakura was directing his way. 'With all that fat he carries around, it's a surprise he could participate at all!'

Ino's jaw dropped. Shikamaru looked mortified. Shino shook his head and Lee blinked and glanced back at where Chouji stood within hearing range, munching on (even more) snacks.

The big boned shinobi had suddenly frozen, chip held up to his open mouth. His face then began to turn red, becoming more aggressive by the second.

Naruto, who had risen from his throne and stringed Hinata along to join the group, only served to aggravate matters further.

'Hey, hey guys! See the crown on my head?' he exclaimed, pointing enthusiastically. 'Didn't I tell you that I'd win? Didn't I, didn't I?!'

Hinata, who had noticed the tension and the way they were all staring at Chouji, twiddled her index fingers together and stuttered, 'N … Naruto-kun …'

Naruto blinked, finally noticing that something was amiss.

'Eh?' he squinted at all the anxious faces. 'What's up?'

'Kiba said the 'F' word!' Ino whispered, not taking her eyes off Chouji.

Cerulean orbs widened in alarm as understanding dawned on Naruto's handsome features. 'Uh oh. You didn't!' he hissed at Kiba.

'So what?' Kiba barked. 'It's not like he heard me-'

'He did hear you,' Shino said quietly. 'He heard you, because he is standing behind you.'

Kiba's face went three shades paler. 'He's … behind me?' he echoed weakly. He glanced back over his shoulder, and sure enough Chouji was glaring at him with murderous intent. His body was starting to swell up, gradually getting wider and bigger, like a puffer fish expanding to alarming proportions.

'What did you say about my weight?' he demanded ominously of Kiba.

'Uh … uh … I said that you're f- … flat!' Kiba stammered.

'Yes!' Ino forgot all about their dispute and rushed to back him up. 'He said flat!'

Chouji looked uncertain, not quite convinced. Everybody waited with baited breath, until it seemed that Chouji was going to buy Kiba's cover and let the issue go.

But then Sai raised a hand pointedly. 'Actually,' he put in, smiling helpfully, 'Kiba called you fat-'

'Sai!' Sakura cried, grabbing at him in horror. How many times before he learned?!

But it was too late. Chouji erupted, like a rumbling volcano. The group of young shinobi and kunoichi, save for Sasuke and Sai, shrieked. Chouji had become a giant meat ball and was rolling straight toward them, rapidly building speed. They had mere seconds to scatter.

Akamaru was barking like mad. The scene was utter chaos.

'GUUAAAAHHHH!' Naruto wailed, clinging tightly onto Hinata's arm. His crown fell to the ground as everybody scrambled hysterically around him to get out of Chouji's war path. But Lee stumbled in panic, tripping Ino over in the process. She screamed and grasped desperately at Shikamaru, who tried helplessly to pull her back up and away.

Sasuke, glaring death at Sai, stepped swiftly forward and shoved him away from Sakura. He then grabbed hold of Sakura's slender arm and pulled her back. He would have gotten her, and himself, to safety, were it not for the person who crashed into him from behind at that very moment. In his intent to get himself and Sakura out of harm's way, Sasuke had failed to notice Kiba running blindly toward them. Knocked uncharacteristically off balance, Sasuke stumbled forward and turned just in time to face the giant ball of destruction descending upon them all.

His onyx eyes, usually so cool and detached, now widened marginally in alarm.

_Oh, shit-_

Someone was tugging desperately at him – Sakura he realised – but it was too late. One by one Chouji rounded them up, smacking into Lee so that Lee fell back into a shrieking Ino, Ino into Shikamaru, Shikamaru onto Shino, Shino onto a gasping Hinata, Hinata onto a howling Naruto, Naruto onto Sai, Sai onto Kiba, Kiba onto Sasuke–

In the last split seconds he had, Sasuke jerked Sakura in front of him so that he, rather than she, would take the full weight and impact of the fall. They all tumbled to the ground, a tangle of arms and legs. Flower wreaths tore and flew with dust into the air. Chouji rolled to a stop beside them, breathing heavily, eyes still narrowed into furious slits.

Anko, who had been watching with a gasping crowd, approached him cautiously.

'Hey, Chouji,' she addressed him with all the authority she could muster, 'I think you need to calm down-'

'I. AM. NOT. FAT!' Chouji bit out each word indignantly. 'Just big boned!'

Kurenai, who had joined Anko, offered a soothing smile and placed a calming hand on Chouji's shoulder.

'Pay them no heed, Chouji. Look, they're selling your favourite iced fruit mix on that stall over there,' the dark haired woman pointed behind her. 'What do you say we go get a glass or two?'

Chouji relaxed, slowly losing his anger and deflating back to his original size.

'OK, Kurenai-sama,' he nodded respectfully. Her smile widened and she gently steered him around, toward the drink stall. Chouji directed one last glance over his shoulder, assessing the chaos he had created, before turning and walking away, looking mighty pleased.

Anko released a sigh of relief. Then she placed her hands on her hips, looking at the mess of young people on the ground. Kakashi and Yamato joined her. The adults shook their heads, exchanging helpless glances with each other.

Ino, who was lucky enough to have landed on top of the pile, rubbed her aching head. She fell off, feeling nauseous and disorientated.

'Ugh …' It then suddenly occurred to her that her hair must look a mess and she screeched, hands flying up to restore presentable order to her silky blonde mane.

'W … way to go, Sai!' Kiba growled at the pale boy sprawled above him. He tried to push him off, but to no avail. There were five other people on top of him. Still, it could be worse. At least he wasn't at the bottom of the pile.

Sai winced, but still managed to offer a blank, infuriating smile.

'I was merely finishing what you started,' he replied, his face right in Kiba's.

Kiba gawked at him incredulously. Did the guy know _anything_ about social decorum? He raised a hand and pushed it into Sai's annoying face. 'Geez, you're too close!' he glared. Thankfully, the weight above him became slightly less crushing as Shikamaru stumbled off and to his feet.

'You're all so troublesome,' he complained. 'How many times have I warned you against using that word in front of Chouji?'

'Well, obviously Mr. Tactful there doesn't get it!' Ino exclaimed, shooting daggers at poor Sai.

Lee hopped off, as fit as a fiddle. Then he gasped in dismay, spying a breathless Sakura second last from bottom.

'S … Sakura-san!' Round eyes turned to Shino. He rushed forward and pulled him up next.

At the bottom of the pile, Sasuke was positively fuming. He was going to tear Sai's brainless head off. No- he was going to fry him using _Katon_- no, better yet, he was going to electrocute the life out of him with a well-charged stream of _Chidori_-

Because, _damn it_, not only had he been less than gracefully squished at the bottom of a pile of utter morons, but Sakura, _Sakura_, had landed on top of him so awkwardly that he had to turn his head left at an impossibly uncomfortable angle in order to avoid coming nose to nose with her. She was that close.

He uttered explicative after explicative in his mind, cursing his replacement over and over. In the race, he had been able to shift the way he had held Sakura, but now the front of her warm, soft body was _crushing_ against his beneath the weight of the others and he could do absolutely nothing about it. He was a young man who liked his personal space and this was way out of his comfort zone. Ice-cool Uchiha Sasuke never felt embarrassment, but he was mightily close to doing so at that moment. As if things weren't wretched enough for him, he could feel Kakashi's amused gaze on him, too.

No doubt his perverted sensei was enjoying his evident discomfort.

_Well,_ Kakashi was indeed idly noting, _this is interesting._

Meanwhile, Sakura was trying desperately (and in vain) to ignore the feel of strong, hard muscles beneath her. Her heart was pounding and she was sure Sasuke could feel it against his chest. Her cheeks were tinged pink. She bit her lower lip, utterly mortified, frozen helplessly on top of him. She dared not move her head; it was already taking everything out of her to keep her right cheek from pressing against Sasuke's. When they had initially landed on the ground, the air had been knocked out of Sasuke's lungs and Sakura had gasped apology after apology. But it wasn't her fault that he was being crushed.

_Shannarooo!_ She was going to send Sai flying all the way to the Hidden Mist village, damn it!

Lee had now gotten to Hinata, who stared, red faced, up at him. Thankfully, she had _not _landed facing Naruto – for the embarrassment would have surely killed her – but the blond was clutching onto the loose fabric of her top regardless. He was spluttering as Lee helped Hinata off him.

Like a turtle sprawled helplessly on its back, Naruto struggled before tumbling away from the human tower. He fell unceremoniously to the ground, breathing heavily.

'Sai, you BASTARD!' he yelled, but his anger quickly faded as he spied his crown and sceptre, undamaged, lying nearby. He scrambled to retrieve them.

Sai got off the pile, apologising sheepishly.

'Sorry everyone-'

He broke off, for Kiba shoved him angrily off the pile. When Kiba got off her, Sakura pushed away from Sasuke like he was a live wire. As soon as she got to her feet, she rounded on Sai. The next moment, poor Sai was seeing stars as Sakura sent him skidding into the ground. Strands of earthy grass flew into the air as Sai lay there, dazed.

'You idiot!' she seethed, breathing rapidly, trying to calm her racing heart.

Everybody, even Shino, was glad to see Sakura dishing out justice to the tactless youth. Lee, who had been about to ask Sakura if she was alright, wisely kept his distance.

Sasuke sat up, chest feeling tight, limbs feeling sore all over. Naruto walked over to him, grinning.

'Ouch, teme,' he said, holding out a hand to pull his best friend up. 'That had to hurt.' His eyes twinkled mischievously. 'Or maybe it wasn't really that bad because you had-'

Sasuke knew what he was leading to and couldn't let him finish his statement. He took his hand and Naruto obligingly pulled him to his feet - only to find himself sprawled on the ground a split second later.

Ino was impressed. Sasuke was fast, and it didn't hurt that he had a great body, either. Shikamaru caught the appreciative look on her face and sighed heavily. She caught herself, and blinked innocently at him.

Naruto spluttered. 'What was that for, you asshole?!' he exclaimed, staring incredulously up at Sasuke, who stood over him with arms folded across his chest.

Sasuke's face seemed expressionless, but Naruto's trained eye detected a ghost of a smirk forming on the raven-haired Uchiha's lips.

'To remind you that without that crown, you're always dead-last,' he replied arrogantly.

'Say wha-?!' Naruto was on his feet in a flash, glaring. Sasuke stared back at him smugly.

'What'd you say, teme?!' Naruto demanded, daring Sasuke to repeat his words.

Sasuke dared. 'Dead-last,' he said, and then added for guaranteed effect, 'Dobe.'

Sakura looked back and forth between them helplessly. Thankfully, their exchange was distracting attention away from her visible embarrassment. She could feel her cheeks gradually cooling and her heart beat steadying. But unknown to her, Ino was watching her, eagle-eyed.

'What'd you call me?!' Naruto's voice was rising progressively.

'Hn. Deaf, too.'

'WHAT?!' came the furious yell, 'I'm gonna kick your ass-'

Kakashi sighed. Although it was nice to see an open display of bickering between them (it reminded him of when his students had been younger, innocent Genin), the interaction was fast turning into a vintage Naruto-Sasuke standoff. He waved a hand, signalling that enough was enough. 'Alright, you two, break it up.'

But of course, Naruto wasn't listening.

'You just can't admit that I totally owned you-'

'You wish,' Sasuke dead-panned.

'Why you … you _teme_-'

Iruka, who had rushed over on realising that Tsunade was growing irritated at the attention their bickering was drawing, decided to hastily step in.

'Hey, hey, Naruto! Let's go get ramen now, what do you say?!' he suggested. 'Bring all your friends, too! I'm sure Yamato and Kakashi won't mind chipping in.'

'_What?!_' Poor Yamato and Kakashi exclaimed in unison, perspiring at the very thought of having to buy so many bowls of ramen. Anko grinned at their misfortune.

Sure enough, Naruto took the bait. He blinked, promptly forgetting Sasuke's existence.

'Wow, really Iruka-sensei?! Right now? Cool!' He waved enthusiastically to the others. 'Last one to Ichiraku_'s a loser!'_ With that, he dashed forward, racing toward his much loved ramen bar, and calling for Hinata to follow.

Shikamaru sighed heavily._ How troublesome._ But Lee, Kiba and even Shino were moving off, and Sai was scrambling up, and Ino was running after them, and Shikamaru certainly did _not_ want to be the loser. Akamaru chased after them, barking in excitement.

Kakashi and Yamato, sighing in defeat, trailed after Anko and Iruka, who shrugged helplessly at them. Sakura began to follow, not looking back to see if Sasuke would join them. The very idea of meeting his gaze filled her with embarrassment.

Sasuke didn't want to watch her walk away, but his treacherous eyes were reluctantly rising to look anyway. They would all be at the ramen bar, the heroes and heroines of Konoha. Was he going to follow and play happy Leaf Village with them?

Not a chance. He turned his back, ready to head toward his house as he should have done earlier – but someone had other ideas.

'SAKURA!' Tsunade's voice bellowed.

Sakura's heart leapt and her body tensed. Oh, no. Fate could not be so cruel to her. Cringing, she turned to find the Hokage storming toward her, a thunderous look on her attractive face. Shizune followed anxiously after her, clutching Ton Ton tightly.

'Hoy, Sakura!' she addressed her student again, once she had reached her. 'Just where do you think you're going?'

'I … er … well …' she stammered, like a child caught with her hand stuck guiltily in the cookie jar.

'The agreement was that you and Naruto keep watch over Sasuke!' Tsunade roared, pointing toward where Sasuke was glaring at the most unfortunate patch of grass yet. He didn't need any minders. Was Tsunade doing this deliberately? He had a growing suspicion that she was.

'If you walk away and leave him unguarded, you are violating our agreement and I will not trust you again!'

Sakura bit her lower lip. 'B … but shishou,' she dared to argue, 'Naruto just left me here-'

'I DON'T CARE ABOUT NARUTO!' Tsunade barked, causing Sakura to flinch and bite down hard on her foolish tongue. 'HARUNO SAKURA! YOU'RE GOING TO ICHIRAKU'S AND YOU'RE TAKING UCHIHA SASUKE WITH YOU!'

Sasuke's hateful glare turned to the blonde woman. _Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn_, he silently cursed. Shizune looked sympathetically, almost apologetically, at him. Sakura, who dared not anger her master further, bowed her head, shoulders slumping.

'H … hai, shishou,' she replied, bowing respectfully. Then she glanced in Sasuke's general direction. 'Come with me, please, Sasuke-kun.'

But Sasuke folded his arms, turning his head away dismissively. 'I'm going home,' he stated obstinately. Then he almost instantly regretted it, for Tsunade had closed the gap between them and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Sakura gasped in alarm and Sasuke raised angry eyes to her face.

_What's your game?_ He silently demanded of her, meeting her gaze square on, hoping that she could see that he knew she was up to something. But Tsunade was not one to budge once she had made up her stubborn mind.

'You will go to the ramen bar with the others,' she said sweetly, voice deadly calm. 'And then, after that, you will be escorted back to your house. Do you _understand?_'

She released him roughly and he glared at her again. She stared him back down, unblinking. It was a clash of wills. When it became apparent that there really was no arguing over the matter, Sasuke's eyes lowered and he turned and stalked away, quickly overtaking Sakura and moving in the direction the others had headed toward.

Sakura stared, open mouthed, after him. She looked back at Tsunade, who pointed to Sasuke's retreating back. Sakura clamped her jaw shut, nodded, and hurried after him.

Tsunade watched them go, and when they were far away enough, she allowed a small, grim, satisfied smile to form on her lips. _Perfect._

Shizune, who was still staring in gaping shock after the pretty pink-haired medic kunoichi and the tall, handsome Uchiha, turned her incredulous gaze back to the Hokage.

'Ts … Tsunade-sama,' she stammered. 'Don't you think that maybe you were just a little hard on them?'

Tsunade's eyes moved to her assistant.

'The more time that insolent Uchiha brat spends in Sakura's company, the better,' she replied.

Before Shizune could decipher what this cryptic statement might mean, Tsunade turned on her heel and began walking toward her office. The festival was coming to an end and villagers were starting to head for home.

'Come, Shizune!' she called to the dark-haired woman, 'I believe we have some cheaters to discipline this evening! Make preparations!'

Shizune straightened and rushed obediently after her.

'Yes, Tsunade-sama!'

**Author's Note**

_There you have it, everyone! I really enjoyed writing this one, although it's taken me ages to complete. Sorry again about the slow update! But I made this chapter really long to kinda make up for it XD So I hope you all liked reading it! Anyway, I'd love it if you wonderful readers left your thoughts on this, as reviews are golden : ) I'll work on the next chapter as soon as I can. I've already got the content drafted so it's just a matter of finding the time to type it all up into something readable XD Thanks a lot to each and every reviewer for your continued support and encouragement! Watch this space for the last instalment dudes. Ciao for now! ; P_


	8. The Past

_My sincerest apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out! I've been suffering from terrible writer's block lately and haven't really felt inspired to write anything for any fandom. But I recently received a fresh burst of motivation so here it is at last. _

_I really apologise for being so misleading in terms of how many chapters remain. I'm going to stop saying that every chapter is going to be the final one, because to be honest, I just keep thinking up new ideas that force the story to drag out. Is that a good or a bad thing? XD So as you've probably guessed this one isn't the last one after all. It really was supposed to be but typically ended up far too long and has consequently been cut into two separate parts. I hope you enjoy this first one; it's kind of angsty and less light-hearted than the previous ones but its purpose is to build up toward the ending that I'm going for. _

_One final note, italic text within a flashback denotes a flashback within a flashback. Yeah, really XD We're getting down to some serious business here!_

**Chapter VIII: ****The Past **

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

Dark hues of grey and varying shades of black swam blearily across Sasuke's vision as he slowly began to regain consciousness. The shapeless blurs he could just about discern in his peripheral line of sight did little to jog his sluggish mind. All he could register was the acute throbbing inside his head. He winced when a sudden, sharp pounding sensation flared somewhere at the back of his eyes and instinctively snapped them shut. The unpleasant feeling lingered for a few moments more and he waited until he was sure whatever it was had fully resided before cautiously lifting his heavy eyelids once again.

His vision was still hazy and unfocused. He then became aware of how thirsty he was and how much the muscles in his body were aching. He struggled to regain his bearings, too disorientated to summon irritation and frustration over the glaring, uncharacteristic gaps in his memory.

What had happened to him? Why did his head hurt so much and why did his eyes feel like they were ready to burn out of their sockets? Was he alone here? Where _was_ here?

He tried to speak but his parched throat felt like sandpaper. The air around him was eerily still; he could make out little else. He closed his eyes again briefly, hoping that by resting them a little his third attempt at identifying his surroundings would prove successful, when the sudden, lightest touch of cool fingertips against his right cheek made him open them again prematurely.

Bleak spots of nothingness fused together to form a dreary canvas that was even hazier than it had been when he had first awoken. Why was he having so much trouble focusing? Yet despite the bleary dimness he was able to distinguish something new to his right, something that wasn't grey or black or dull.

It was a brighter colour. Somebody was- sitting beside him? Leaning over him? Someone with hair that wasn't dark. Who had light hair like that? He couldn't think. A soft brush of those same fingertips pushing hair away from his eyes had derailed his line of enquiry.

"Sasuke?" A barely audible, throaty whisper reached his ears, except they supplied him with a modified version of the speaker's words.

What he heard was '_Sasuke-kun'_.

The familiar form of his name uttered in a female voice reverberated deafeningly through his mind. It tugged insistently at some distant part of his memory that he could not immediately identify. But his lethargic brain would not supply him with the information he sought. A sudden exhaustion overcame him and he stopped trying to figure out where he was or what had happened to him. His head hurt too much. His tense body grew limp once again and his eyes rolled shut. On the verge of slipping back into empty slumber, his mind finally provided him with a hint of recollection that was sent directly to the tip of his tongue before he could think to hold it back. Half unconscious, his heavy, incoherent mumble was nearly unintelligible but didn't quite escape the hearing of the scarlet haired kunoichi who sat watching over him.

Slender, feminine fingertips lingering on a pale forehead were snatched almost guiltily back as the word fell laboriously from the disorientated young Uchiha's lips. But Sasuke was already lost in deep sleep and so her instantaneous reaction was lost on him. He did not witness Karin's bespectacled ruby eyes widen in confusion and shock as the very same word he had uttered echoed faintly from her lips.

"_Sakura…?" _

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

The walk to Ichiraku's was plagued by an awkward and uncomfortable silence. Sasuke seemed determined not to engage in any form of conversation whatsoever and an anxious Sakura did not want to risk saying anything to further aggravate the situation. She knew he was irritated. His face was perfectly neutral but she recognised the tenseness in his shoulders, which often accompanied one of his less than agreeable moods.

By the time they reached the noodle bar everybody else had already taken their places around tables that had been pushed together by restaurant staff to accommodate the unusually large volume of customers. Kakashi, Yamato and the other elders sat at their own booth where they could safely overlook the interactions of the younger crowd. It was a cosy, welcoming setting, yet one that Sasuke could not help but consider far too boisterous and noisy for his personal tastes. Before he could plan his quick escape however, bright blue eyes locked onto him and a grinning Naruto waved enthusiastically his way.

"Hoy, Sasuke! You came!"

_As if_ he'd had a choice. He was still silently cursing the Fifth Hokage.

Sakura released an inaudible sigh of relief and stepped around the tall Uchiha, scanning the table for empty seats.

"Sakura-san!" Lee instantly raised his hand to catch her attention. He pointed animatedly at an empty spot beside him. "There is an unoccupied seat here! Please, do me the honour!"

She hesitated, but immediately shrugged it off. Why not? Lee was a sweet guy, even if he was hopelessly infatuated with her. There didn't seem to be any other vacant places besides the one on Naruto's left, which she knew Sasuke would take, even if a frowning Kiba was on the other side. She began to move around to the seat, when Ino suddenly called out to Lee. The slender blonde kunoichi was situated to Sakura's far right, nestled snugly between Shikamaru and Sai.

"Lee! Kiba might provoke Chouji again, you have to come and keep an eye on him over here!"

"Sit here, Sasuke!" Naruto pointed to his left.

Kiba, who certainly did _not_ want Sasuke to sit next to him, rapidly gestured for Lee to heed Ino's words.

"Yeah," he agreed, "I might accidentally say the 'F' word again any second now, get over here quick!"

Lee blinked once. Twice. He glanced hesitantly at Sakura, who had just taken her place beside him.

"LEE!" Ino shrieked. "SIT DOWN HERE!"

Poor Lee flinched, apologised to Sakura then reluctantly took his place next to Kiba, while resisting the urge to weep at his great misfortune.

"Eh? Bushy Brows?" Naruto squinted at him, but quickly shrugged it off. "Oh, well, looks like you'll have to sit next to Sakura-chan," he said to Sasuke, who directed a subtle glare at Kiba.

Sakura gaped at Naruto. That was it? He wasn't going to insist that his best friend, whom he had spent years chasing after, sit next to him for a hearty meal? It wasn't like him. She glanced at Ino, who wore a smug little smile on her face. Then she looked at Kiba, who seemed oblivious. She swallowed and set her gaze on the chop sticks before her as Sasuke sat tensely on the stool Lee had vacated. His arms were folded and his eyes were closed.

The brooding, defensive stance, Sakura silently analysed from the corner of her vision, then sighed heavily and managed to accept the handkerchief Tenten offered her with a smile. After arranging it neatly in place, she was silently relieved to spy waiters and waitresses carrying steaming hot bowls of food toward their table. Busying herself with food meant she could avoid unnecessary small talk with Sasuke. Delicious smells wafted to Sakura's nose and the sudden growling of her stomach caught her by surprise. She hadn't even realised she was hungry.

Plates were passed around as the numerous dishes arrived. Both Chouji and Naruto were salivating at the sight of the freshly prepared, appetising food.

"Hey, Chouji!" Kiba called to the big-boned shinobi. "You gotta share this with the rest of us, got it?!"

But Chouji was already reaching for the oyakodon bowl, seemingly oblivious to his friend's request.

"You'd better just fill your plate before it's all gone," Shikamaru advised Kiba, passing one of the sushi plates along to Ino, who took three pieces.

"Some sushi, Sai?" She smiled at the pale boy, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously at him. He accepted the offer with a dutifully pasted smile.

"Does anyone want some ramen before Naruto gets to it?" Tenten asked. Neji took the large bowl from her, loaded his plate then passed it across to Shino.

"Hey, hey, you make it sound like I'm gonna eat it all!" Naruto exclaimed incredulously.

"That's because you _are_," Sakura replied, earning a few assenting chuckles in response.

"Mmf, no mway, I'm mgonna try meverything else first," the blond replied, around a mouthful of fried rice. "Umf, Hinata, mwhy aren't you eating manything?"

Neji directed a distasteful look at Naruto and his lack of table manners, before glancing surreptitiously at his cousin. Hinata was blushing furiously.

"I- I'm just waiting for the- the sushi, Naruto-kun," she stammered.

"I've got it here," Sakura told her. "Sasuke-kun?" She held the plate toward the raven-haired Uchiha. "Would you like some before I pass it over?"

Sasuke's head moved slightly, signalling a negative. Sakura glanced worriedly at his plate; he'd yet to put anything on it.

"Here, Neji'll pass it to Shino," Tenten said, relieving Sakura of the dish in her hands.

"Slow down, Lee!" Kiba exclaimed, glancing at his friend. "You'll outdo Chouji at this rate!"

"Gai-sensei told me that one of the secrets to retaining the power of youth is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet! Therefore, I have to fit in as many fruits and vegetables as I can before this meal is over!" Lee declared.

"In actuality, your information is inaccurate," Shino spoke up. "Do you know why it is inaccurate? Because it is known that you require only five portions of each daily."

"Oh, geez," Kiba muttered. "Won't you lighten up, Shino?"

"Mmf I mwon't be outdone!" Chouji exclaimed, reaching for yet another piece of steak.

"Oh yeah?!" Naruto replied. "I'm just getting started here, buddy! Bushy Brows! Pass me some yakitori!"

Lee obligingly handed over the grilled chicken pieces before grabbing a piece of steak for himself.

"Forehead!" Ino intoned sweetly. "How _rude_ of you to sit there stuffing your face when Sasuke-kun's plate is empty! Why aren't you _serving_ him?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively at the word 'serving', earning a furious glare from Sakura, who opened her mouth to fire back a response – but Sasuke surprised her by speaking up first.

"I'm not hungry," he informed the table monotonously.

"Hey, bastard! Don't be such a spoilsport! Eat something!" Naruto waved a chopstick animatedly at him. Sasuke ignored him, which caused the blond to scowl. "Hey, want me to throw some food at you? We had to use up loads of energy in that race; don't tell me you're not even a little hungry after carrying Sakura-chan around!"

Sakura's glare became positively murderous. "What's that supposed to mean, Naruto?" She demanded.

"Eheh- n-nothing, nothing!" Naruto placated.

"He's not normal," Kiba muttered, passing a piece of steak back to Akamaru.

"Kiba, pass me the salt," Shikamaru said, cutting the young man off before he could elaborate on his statement.

Sai helpfully moved the conversation in a different direction. "I have read about the motives behind inviting others to a food place. Is this what they call a date?"

Ino almost choked on her mouthful and Tenten began to giggle.

"Man, you've got a lot of learning to do," Kiba commented.

"If a guy asks his friend to join him in a food place, is it a date then?" Poor Sai continued, blinking innocently.

Sakura could no longer contain her own laughter and she and Tenten burst into a fresh round of giggles.

"Are you still reading those books?" Shikamaru raised a questioning eyebrow at Sai.

"S-Sai," Tenten finally managed to articulate. "A date isn't the same thing as a casual meeting between friends!"

"You can't blame him for being confused," Ino added. "There's a fine line between friendship and romance, after all! Don't you agree, Sakura?"

Sakura had anticipated this and smiled sweetly in response. "I'd say you're the expert in _that_ particular field, Ino-pig." She tilted her head pointedly at Shikamaru.

"When a man wishes to woo a lady, he will ask her out on a date!" Lee explained, reaching for another piece of sushi. "Unfortunately, his boldness is not always rewarded…" His voice trailed off and he snuck a glance at Sakura. But she was busy passing a dish along to Tenten. He sighed wistfully, before turning back to his food.

"Why doesn't the lady ask the man?" Sai questioned next.

As they discussed this, Sakura seized an opening to talk to Sasuke without drawing Ino's attention.

"Sasuke-kun, the food is really delicious!" She informed him cheerfully. "Won't you eat even a little? Please try something!" She paused. On receiving no immediate reply, she continued, "Is there anything you'd like that's too far from you? I could ask someone to pass it over."

Sasuke was staring dully at the empty plate before him. When he didn't respond again, Sakura began to feel anxious. It was remarkable how he still held the power to unsettle her even after all the years they had spent apart.

"Uhm?" She began again tentatively, "Sasuke-kun-"

"Don't fuss over me," he said, curtly cutting her off.

The bluntness of his words caused her shoulders to slump.

_Oh. Okay,_ she thought, as an almost instantaneous wave of disappointment and sadness washed over her. The sudden intensity of her heart's reaction surprised her. Why had his response stung so much? She was used to it and usually just brushed it off and tried again. Why was this particular snub so hard to disregard?

_Because he hasn't rejected you and Naruto for a while,_ a small voice whispered in her mind. _Because you thought things were starting to get a little better._

It was true. She had believed that she and Naruto were starting to make some progress with Sasuke. She'd even been optimistic enough to assume that they'd slowly but surely been succeeding in dragging him out of his self-enforced state of isolation. The first two and a half months since his return had been particularly demanding. Sasuke had been distant and detached and had shunned their company. But over the last few months he had seemingly begun to relax around them again. Had she been so wrong to hope? Had no progress really been made at all?

More importantly, was that really the only reason why his coldness had hurt so much?

_The race,_ the same knowing voice supplied. She recalled the way he had carried her, the way he had allowed her to hold onto him, the way their eyes had met. _You thought it might mean something. You began hoping for the impossible again._

Sakura swallowed thickly. It was pointless to deny it any longer. Everything had been fine earlier that morning. She had been able to maintain a friendly demeanour around Sasuke without even a hint of a romantic inclination showing through. It had been that way for months. Now old feelings were resurfacing with terrible force, feelings that refused to be ignored and locked away as they had been on his return.

She'd been pretending that she only saw Sasuke as a friend on a daily basis, and she'd done it so well that eventually she'd fooled a part of herself into believing it was true. In reality it had been the most difficult thing in the world for her to do. She didn't _want_ to love him so much. But she couldn't help it. Her heart was overcome with a deep aching at that moment and she almost laughed at the odd timing of her realisation. She'd spent years using her feelings to push her to become stronger, to get him back. How weak was she now to try and smother them? How weak was she to attempt to lie to her own heart?

_I'm just as foolish as before,_ she thought bitterly to herself. _Nothing's changed. I'm still in love with him and he still doesn't care._

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's eager voice broke her out of her dejected thoughts. "Remember last year's race, when you almost accidentally destroyed a section of the course?"

She blinked. The topic of conversation had changed and she hadn't even realised it.

"O-Oh," she replied distractedly, managing to summon a bright smile at the last moment. "Yes, I remember."

"You guys cheated your way to the crown last year." Kiba pointed at Tenten and Neji. "You set up some kind of trap to deceive the rest of us!"

"We kept to the rules of the race," Neji coolly informed him.

"We just planned our victory out!" Tenten added.

"Hah! You still threw the rest of us off your trail," Kiba scoffed. "Hey, Sasuke!" He addressed the Uchiha prodigy. "I think you should give us all some tips on how to pull the wool over everybody's eyes. It'd come in handy for next year's race, I'm sure!"

Onyx eyes met Kiba's briefly before slipping unaffectedly away.

"Just face it, you'll never win," Naruto grinned. "I'm gonna win again next year. Right, Hinata?"

"Ah!" Hinata gasped, heart hammering at the mere thought of teaming up with Naruto again. "I-I'm sure you could, Naruto-kun, i-if you do your best!"

"Well, what do you expect your personal cheerleader to tell you?" Ino demanded, causing the Hyuuga heiress to blush a deeper shade of scarlet. "How about you ask for a less biased opinion? I can tell you from now, Naruto, that next year, I'm going to win that crown for sure!"

"Keep eating like this and you won't even be able to move next year, Ino-pig!" Sakura stuck her tongue out playfully at the blonde.

"What'd you say, Forehead?!" Ino gasped.

Chouji, who was chewing on his eighth skewer of grilled chicken, disagreed. "Mmf, I'm gonna get bigger and better for next year. I'll be the champion!"

"Hah! Don't make me laugh," Kiba exclaimed. "The only way you'll stand a chance of winning is if you squa-"

"KIBA!" Lee slammed a hand on the table, causing his friend to jump. "I must ask you to stop."

Sai smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Shikamaru anticipated what he was probably about to say and got there first.

"Sai. Don't be troublesome."

"You are all incorrect," Shino spoke up again. "Next year, it is I who shall be crowned winner."

"Oho!" Kiba laughed. "Finally getting into the spirit, Shino?"

"No. Rather, I do not wish to be left out any further."

Kiba sweat-dropped.

"I'll be the best! That's my Hokage way!" Naruto declared. Hinata stared at him with wide-eyed adoration.

"Like father, like son?" Shikamaru enquired, raising an eyebrow lazily at Naruto, who grinned sheepishly.

"Ah!" Ino suddenly squealed. "That reminds me! Naruto! Tell us about the meeting you had with The Fourth! Shika-kun didn't give us the details!"

"Did my ears hear correctly?" Lee blinked, glancing at Naruto questioningly. "You had a meeting with The Fourth?"

Sasuke, who had been tuning out the majority of their idle banter, now tuned back in.

"Namikaze Minato," Ino sighed. "Mum says he was really something."

The look on Naruto's face was a priceless mix of horror and disgust. "Eh?! Your _mum_ liked my dad?"

"Idiot! Before she met _my_ dad, obviously!" Ino shot back.

"Your father was very popular, Naruto," an older voice put in. Naruto glanced behind him to find that Kakashi had approached the table.

"He was your teacher, right?" Shikamaru asked. "Asuma-sensei told us so."

"Aa," Kakashi affirmed.

"Wait, are you saying Naruto's father was some kind of a ladies man?" Tenten asked, grinning slyly.

"Well," Kakashi sighed. "Not exactly; he couldn't really help all the attention he received. Even before he attained Kage status aged twenty one, he always stood out in a crowd."

Naruto was positively glowing with pride. "Eheh heh, that's my dad!"

"How the hell did you meet him? He's been dead for almost seventeen years!" Kiba exclaimed.

"It was a complex jutsu," Kakashi explained. "A safeguard against the Kyuubi's seal being lifted."

"When exactly did this happen?" Ino asked; her baby blue eyes wide with fascination.

"During Pein's invasion of Konoha," Naruto replied, expression sobering as he recalled the grim particulars.

Sakura sensed, rather than saw, Sasuke tense slightly next to her.

"The village was destroyed. Pein was trying to make me despair – and it almost worked. He stuck some weird chakra rods into me and was gonna take me back to the Akatsuki base, when Hinata…" his voice trailed off and he glanced at the girl sitting to his right. Hinata's dark head was bowed in embarrassment. Naruto rubbed the back of his own sheepishly and continued, "Heh, well, Pein hurt Hinata and I guess that was kinda the last straw. I went eight tails, and was gonna pull the seal off and surrender my body completely to the Kyuubi! I was that mad! But then a hand behind me stopped me…" Naruto's eyes suddenly lost their focus and he seemed to be staring off into space. He held out his hand as he continued, "I was carried away from the seal by someone. When I turned to look at that person, I saw…"

"The Fourth Hokage," Sakura finished. Sasuke heard the open wonder in her voice and his eyebrows drew together minutely. But he remained still and silent as Kakashi filled in additional details.

"Minato set the seal so that if eight tails were released, he would appear within Naruto's consciousness."

"He really was something, huh?" Tenten smiled.

"He was The Fourth Hokage!" Lee exclaimed. "We can only hope to achieve such a level of greatness in our lives!"

"What was he like?" Ino pressed. "Was he cool and calm like the elders tell us he was?"

"Naruto obviously didn't take after him if that's the case," Shikamaru smirked.

Naruto grinned and nodded.

"Minato was able to restore the seal and Naruto won the battle," Kakashi finished.

Sasuke listened as they continued the discussion. Pein had been the one who'd destroyed Konoha. Sasuke hadn't ever met Pein personally. What they'd had in common was that he himself had also been on his way to wipe out the village. A sudden feeling of intense bitterness overcame him, surprising him with its intensity. But he stubbornly refused to mull over it and promptly stomped it out.

"Pein was the one who killed Jiraiya," Shikamaru was saying.

"Even so, he was just a pawn who was being manipulated too," Naruto added quietly. "My dad helped me understand that."

Kakashi's eye shifted to where Sasuke sat silently next to Sakura. He sighed lightly, and decided to intervene before someone else decided to say something antagonistic to the young Uchiha.

"Well, let's just be glad that everything turned out for the best."

"Right!" Lee agreed.

"Yes," Sai nodded.

"Say, how'd you guys figure out Jiraiya's code anyway?" Kiba asked Shikamaru.

"It wasn't easy," Shikamaru began. "We had to consider a number of possibilities…"

The conversation faded out of Sasuke's focus. They were all catching up on old times, the heroes and heroines of the great Hidden leaf village. How pleasant. Except Sasuke felt nothing. How could he? He hadn't been there when Pein had invaded Konoha. He'd been the last to hear of Jiraiya's death. He knew nothing about the apparent code the Sannin had left. Just how many countless other events had he missed and had still yet to be informed about?

The sense of not belonging was stronger than ever. They were happily chatting about many years worth of memories; memories he did not share. There was a void in the space where his recollections ought to have been, had he not been so adamant in pursuing revenge. He was an outsider and didn't belong amongst them. Laughter rang out and surrounded him as the table shared a joke he didn't understand. But the sound did not enfold him in a blanket of security as it did the others. Rather, it only served to numb him further.

Sakura blinked at the sound of a stool scraping backward and looked to her left to find that Sasuke had gotten up.

Naruto, who was still chuckling, broke off at the sight of his best friend rising to leave the table. "Eh?" He called to him. "Teme! Where're you going?"

Sasuke gave no response. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he calmly moved around the table and began to walk out of the noodle bar.

"Sasuke!" Naruto began to stand, but Kakashi placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Let him be, Naruto."

"But we're supposed to be keeping watch over him, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto frowned. Kakashi's lone eye crinkled at him.

"I'm sure Tsunade won't mind if he has a few minutes to himself, eh?"

"Geez, does he think he's too high and mighty to share company with us or something?" Kiba scowled disgustedly.

"Sasuke-kuuuun!" Ino trilled after him. "Come back! Where're you going?" When she received no response, she huffed and shrugged her shoulders resignedly. "Oh well, his loss!"

"Perhaps he feels…" Sai considered for a moment, searching for the right word to befit the emotion he had in mind. "Bored?"

"Or guilty," Neji muttered under his breath to nobody in particular.

"Hey, Naruto!" Shikamaru called to the blond, who turned his eyes to find the Nara genius holding up the bowl of ramen. "It'd be a shame if you left the table without finishing the ramen!"

Naruto's eyes darted back to Sasuke, who was getting farther and farther away.

Sensing his lingering hesitation, Kakashi leant forward and spoke quietly in his ear.

"Let's leave him to somebody else this time, what do you say?"

Naruto glanced at Sakura, who was also watching Sasuke's back with a soft frown on her brow. The blond blinked a few times, before nodding slowly in understanding. Shrugging his concern off, he cast a knowing grin back at Kakashi and then held out his hand.

"Hand over that ramen, Shikamaru!"

* * *

Sasuke was relieved when the sound of footsteps didn't follow him out of the noodle bar. He had now rounded the corner in the cobbled road and was safely out of the crowd's line of visibility.

His face was the epitome of calm, but beneath the surface he was greatly troubled. He had known that it'd be a bad idea to participate in the race. So why then had he chosen to do so? It wasn't so much the innocent act of participating that had unsettled him; rather the unforeseen baggage that had accompanied it. He didn't understand the alien thoughts and feelings he had felt throughout the course of the day. He didn't _want_ to understand them. He'd been through so much and seemingly attained all that he had ever desired. Why did it still feel as though that wasn't enough? Why was there still a lingering feeling of emptiness within him?

Tsunade had wanted him to go to the noodle bar with the others, to integrate with them. But surely she realised it was pointless for him to do so? He'd long since stopped viewing Konoha as the idyllic place of his early childhood, prior to his clan's massacre. He still wasn't sure why he had even returned. He only supposed it had something to do with Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura, but was that really enough to tie him down to the very village that had caused him so much suffering in the past?

How could he walk these streets without remembering his early days as a Genin in Team 7? He'd been so hell-bent on killing Itachi back then. He'd been so foolishly misled. Five years on he was back in Konoha. That was what Itachi had wished for him; to return to the village a hero. Things hadn't gone exactly according to his mastermind elder brother's plans, but it was still a far cry from the path of darkness that had very nearly swallowed Sasuke up whole.

He was back, and everybody was expecting him to start over again, to turn a new page in a tainted story. But it wasn't so easy, and he was growing increasingly frustrated. He had to heal, and part of healing was being able to remember and to let go of the hate he had felt for so long.

How was he supposed to really let go and move on? What purpose did his life now hold? In the deepest part of his heart, within the compartment that was shut off to everybody else, he still grieved at the memory of Itachi. Itachi, who had loved him more than Konoha itself, loved him enough to give up everything for his sake. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly and his mind drifted back to a not so distant past, a past where red hot rage was the only thing his eyes had been able to see.

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

* * *

The murderous glint in Sasuke's eyes was unmistakable as he tore through the forest in pursuit of Danzou. Somewhere behind him trailed Madara, but he couldn't spare a thought for Akatsuki's leader at that moment. His mind was set on just one thing alone – avenging his deceased older brother.

Adrenaline and violent, unadulterated hatred spurned him on. He had drained the last of Karin's replenishing chakra and knew that he could no longer afford to be reckless with his health.

* * *

_-Flash-*!_

* * *

_Exhausted features strained into one last smile for him; a phantom rendition of the kind, compassionate elder brother he had idolised in early childhood. Long strands of raven hair hung loosely over heavy-lashed eyes, eyes that had always been so strikingly intense. But at that moment they were unfocused and closed in a concentrated effort to remain standing for just long enough to speak final words of parting._

"_Sorry, Sasuke… this is the last time."_

* * *

_*!-Flash-_

* * *

The recollection faded from his mind's eye and left desolation and fury in its wake. Itachi had suffered for years in silence. He had carried a terrible burden, a weight he should never have been made to shoulder. How must he have felt throughout the years? Beneath that calm, unruffled, perfectly poised exterior, just how much pain and loss had he acutely experienced as a result of the countless sacrifices he had made for Sasuke and for Konoha?

_Konoha._ The mere thought of the village caused Sasuke to see red. _Konoha_ was the reason why Itachi's high reputation had been torn to shreds. _Konoha_ was the reason why Itachi had massacred his family and joined Akatsuki as a renegade ninja. _Konoha_ was the reason why Sasuke no longer had an older brother.

Sharingan eyes burned with dried up tears that could no longer fall. The only thing that he now cried was blood. Just as his brother had.

He couldn't let Danzou escape. He wouldn't, no matter what the cost to himself.

Landing briefly on another tree trunk, his eyes scanned the forest floor below him. A rustle to his left behind him informed him of Karin's presence. She had caught up but was breathing heavily as a result of chakra depletion. But Sasuke felt no pity for her. At that moment, she was just a tracker tool to locate Danzou.

"Which way?!" He demanded.

She panted. "H-his chakra's straight ahead. B-but it's rapidly getting farther away from us. There's-!"

She broke off mid-sentence as Sasuke lunged from the branch with alarming suddenness.

"W-wait, you fool!" She yelled after him. "Th-there're other chakras close by- very close!" Ruby eyes widened behind black-framed glasses. "Damn it, too close!" She gasped in realisation. "Sasuke, come back!" She tried to take a step forward but her shaking legs finally gave up on her and she crumbled to her knees in exhaustion.

Sasuke hadn't stuck around to hear her warning. He had taken to the forest floor to conserve his chakra levels and was moving so fast, so focused on finding Danzou that he almost failed to notice the string of shuriken hurtling his way from the right. He dodged at the last moment, teeth clenched, crimson eyes on fire. Skidding to a halt, his head whipped around to detect the source of the attack. What he saw made his eyebrows lift marginally in surprise.

"You always did move too fast for your own good, Sasuke."

A cloaked ninja stepped out of a parting in the dense trees and into the small clearing he had reached. Despite his rush, Sasuke's body hesitated to take off immediately and his eyes remained fixed on the tall figure. It had been four years since he'd last seen him.

"Kakashi," he uttered neutrally, forcing the breathlessness out of his voice as much as he was able. What was he doing here?

"Aa. It's been a while, Sasuke." He titled his head to one side slightly, lazy gaze trailing over the young Uchiha. "You've grown quite tall, haven't you?"

* * *

_-Flash-*!_

* * *

_Mangekyou eyes burned fiercely in the dimness of the cave. They didn't waver as they gave Sasuke a perfunctory once-over. The cold, detached gaze pierced into him, causing a wave of coldness to wash over his body. He furiously crushed the first whispers of fear down. He would not be afraid. Not this time. This time, he would obtain his revenge._

_There was a brief pause in which one brother regarded the other. When Itachi broke the silence at last, the smooth, softly spoken words that rolled from his tongue were uncharacteristically casual. _

"_Did you get a little taller?"_

* * *

_*!-Flash-_

* * *

Sasuke blinked out of the memory that Kakashi's last words had ignited and narrowed his eyes. He couldn't afford to dwell on the surprise appearance of his former sensei; it was ill-timing indeed when he had a rat to catch and slay.

"Step aside," he instructed coldly.

Kakashi sighed heavily, in the same fashion he always had when Sasuke had been a Genin. "We passed Danzou on our way here. You won't catch up to him now."

Rage flared within Sasuke. He couldn't let him get away!

"I'll crush anything that stands in my path!" He snarled. "Even you, Kakashi!"

There was a slight pause, in which Kakashi stared at him.

"Oh, I'm not here alone, Sasuke." The silver-haired copy ninja finally replied, taking a few steps forward.

There was a rustle in the bushes and Sasuke's eyes slipped to glance behind his former mentor. A tall, dark-haired, pale youth stepped out and took his place beside Kakashi. Faint recognition stirred in Sasuke's mind. He'd seen the boy somewhere before. Then it came to him; it was his replacement in Team 7, the one he had encountered at Orochimaru's lair almost a year prior. Another familiar youth stepped out of the trees, a large dog by his side. Behind him was a third young man and Sasuke was hit with instant recognition; a similarly cloaked Rock Lee was staring grimly at him with distinctive round eyes.

Another faint rustle and a final, smaller figure stood at the very back of the platoon. The colourings were unmistakable and instantly drew Sasuke's notice. Soft, dusk coloured hair and bright apple green eyes. She was staring straight at him unwaveringly, a stony expression set upon her features, so changed from the hazy recollection of his memories. That she was standing at the back suggested she was weakest and still something fragile that needed to be protected.

Kakashi noted the way Sasuke's gaze lingered and could only assume who it was that had held the Uchiha's attention for a few seconds longer than usual. After all, Sakura was a former team-mate.

Then Sasuke blinked and looked back at Kakashi.

"No Naruto this time?" he intoned, tilting a dark eyebrow up condescendingly.

"He's no longer your concern, damn treacherous bastard," Kiba sneered.

"Hmph," Sasuke grunted, and closed his eyes briefly, hatred enveloping his heart at the thought of these former comrades hindering his quest for vengeance. They were Konoha shinobi and kunoichi; Konoha, the village that had betrayed him, the village that had sealed Itachi's fate all those years ago. His eyelids slowly lifted and the Mangekyou spun hypnotically, fixing them all with a devastating crimson stare. Kakashi's visible eye widened in shock and he yelled something at the others – a hasty instruction for them to avoid Sasuke's gaze – but by then Sasuke was already flying forward, Kusanagi drawn, aiming for the weakest link in the chain to use as a trade-off to avoid a five on one battle. He flickered into existence behind Sakura and easily avoided the swipe of her small, chakra charged fist somewhere to his right – then his eyes widened when the earth beneath him began to shake and fragment.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

* * *

His eyes opened to find two children who had stepped out onto the street and were walking before him. One was a little girl and the other an older boy. Their colourings were similar; they were undoubtedly siblings. The boy was comforting his crying sister and had an arm wound protectively about her shoulders as he led her along the path. Sasuke found himself wondering if the two would still share such a bond as the years passed. Would they remain as seemingly close as they appeared, or would time distort their relationship and twist it into something unrecognisable?

He blinked and words spoken from long ago echoed in his mind.

_When one loves, one has the capacity to hate._

* * *

"Earth to Forehead! Hello!"

Sakura's green eyes blinked and shifted to where Ino now sat in the place Sasuke had vacated, staring at her. She hadn't even realised that the vivacious blonde had moved over to her side of the table and inwardly groaned. Ino had no doubt come over to give her more of a headache.

Part of her internally winced; since when had she become so cynical? Perhaps Ino just wanted to discuss dessert, or how pleasant the evening weather was, or-

"Are you just going to sit there? Aren't you going to go after him?"

Or Sasuke. Of course she wanted to talk about Sasuke. Sasuke was always on Ino's agenda when conversing with Sakura. Not mentioning his name at least once in a discussion was what Ino considered blasphemous.

The blossom-haired kunoichi sighed. "Naruto can handle it," she muttered in response.

"Eh?" Ino twisted her head to glance at where Naruto was laughing loudly. She turned her attention back to Sakura. "He doesn't look like he's going anywhere!"

"Please, Ino," Sakura said tiredly. "Don't start."

Ino raised her eyebrows innocently. "Start what, Forehead? I don't have a clue what you mean!"

Sakura gave her a look, before returning her gaze to her plate. She'd stopped eating. Suddenly she didn't feel hungry anymore.

"Oh," Ino began slowly, casually, sending tiny knots of dread twisting in Sakura's gut. "There is one thing, actually." She leant in close, her forehead touching the side of Sakura's. "How'd it feel to be on top of Sasuke-kun?" She whispered, eyes glinting gleefully. Sakura stiffened and was devastated to feel the instantaneous, furious blush flaring to life in her cheeks as she was forced to recall the feel of hard, toned muscles crushing against her body.

_Why that dirty-minded little pig!_ Her inner-self hollered less than graciously.

"Shut up, Ino!" She hissed, with much more anger than she had intended. The blonde stifled a giggle and sat back, holding up her hands defensively.

"Calm down, Sakura! I'm only teasing!" She sighed dramatically. "You really are turning into an old crone aren't you? You need to lighten up!"

Sakura frowned unhappily. "I can't do this anymore, Ino," she said suddenly. Ino blinked, the playful smile on her lips faltering at the quiet, solemn tone of Sakura's voice.

"What's wrong with you all of a sudden? I said I was kidding!" Her expression sobered completely as she added, "Wait, Sasuke-kun hasn't upset you, has he?"

Sakura remained silent. Tears began to prickle at her eyes and she bit her tongue and willed them despondently back. She wanted nothing more than to go home and forget that today had ever happened. But how could she? Tsunade would be furious if she found out that Sasuke had been permitted to wander off unaccompanied. And as Ino had rightly observed, it didn't seem like Naruto was getting up to follow after Sasuke any time soon.

She silently fumed at her loud-mouthed blond team-mate. It wasn't like him to leave Sasuke! Why had he chosen today of all days to pass over the responsibility to her?

"Sakura?" Ino's voice came to her more quietly. Tenten was now also staring at her in concern. Before either girl could put a comforting arm around her, Sakura stood up just as abruptly as Sasuke had and pushed her stool back.

"Eh? Where're you going?" Ino demanded, blinking up at her in surprise.

"I guess I'm tired," Sakura replied. "I'm going back home." It wasn't a complete lie. She did feel strangely drained, and she would go home; right after dutifully passing watch of Sasuke back over to the ANBU nin.

"Shall we come with you?" Tenten offered kindly.

Sakura forced a smile onto her face and waved a hand dismissively at them. "Oh, no, no, you two finish up here. Don't worry about me! I'll see you later." She stepped around the table and began to walk away. Ino and Tenten stared after her for a moment, before exchanging worried glances.

"You might've gone too far, Ino," said the brunette girl.

Ino folded her slender arms crossly. "Don't blame me! Blame that great oaf of an Uchiha!"

"You think Sasuke's why she's so upset?" Tenten asked.

"Who else?" Ino snorted, staring after Sakura's withdrawing form.

Tenten blinked in puzzlement. "But she seemed so happy earlier…"

Ino frowned. "She's a liar and she just proved it!"

"What do you mean?"

The Yamanaka girl glanced at her friend. "She acts like she's over Sasuke-kun, but do you call _that_ being over him? She's got it even worse than before. And that-that great big i_diot_ is just as blind and oblivious as he always was. Ugh!" She threw her hands up animatedly into the air. "Why do I always have to be the one to save that hopeless girl? For all her intelligence, she's pretty clueless!"

Tenten tilted her head curiously. "What're you going to do?"

Ino met her gaze and smiled deviously. "Those two just need a little push in the right direction. Well," she considered, "Sasuke-kun needs a shove, but I'll make Sakura see that she means more to him than he lets on!"

Tenten raised her eyebrows. Getting someone like Sasuke to publicly display such a thing seemed like a completely lost cause to her.

"Is that a good idea?" She questioned. "What if you've got it wrong? What if she really is just his team-mate and friend?"

"You mean like you and Neji, hmm?" Ino asked in a low voice, causing Tenten to blush and cast a fearful look at the proud Hyuuga who sat next to her. "It's _never_ that simple." Patting Tenten's arm, she got off her stool and hurried back around to her seat.

Sai turned at the light tap of a fingertip on his shoulder. He glanced back over his shoulder to find Ino smiling brilliantly at him.

"Sai, I need your help with something. Lee!" She called over to Gai's student next. "Come with me a second!"

Shikamaru cast a wary look at her. What was she up to?

"Shika-kun," she said to him, "I'm going to be right back. There's just something really important I have to take care of!"

Shikamaru, who was quite the genius, figured it had to have something to do with Sakura's sudden departure from the table, and in turn, Sasuke. Sasuke's name naturally followed after Sakura's; it was just one of those things they'd all gotten used to. He sighed heavily in understanding.

"Alright," he nodded. "Ino," he added as an afterthought. She glanced back at him. "Don't cause trouble."

She grinned, a smile that was as bright as the sun, and kissed him lightly on top of his head.

"Don't worry," she assured him. "I'm going to do exactly the opposite!"

With that she turned and sauntered off, with a puzzled Sai and an oblivious Lee trailing after her.

**Author's Note**  
_Bwaha. What's the scheming little Ino up to now, do you reckon? Can't be good for Sakura and Sasuke can it? Or can it? xD We'll soon see!_

_I should mention that I wanted to work in additional angst for Sasuke to keep in line with the latest manga developments. I'll be rewriting parts of the story once it's complete, because I think there are parts that could've been done so much better and in character. Thanks so much for all the reviews of the last chapter, your supportive words and feedback really keep me going, I appreciate it everyone! The next chapter is about half done and I hope to have it up before long. In the meanwhile I'd love your thoughts on this. Feel free to make guesses about what you think might happen next! Thanks for reading. See you next update!_


	9. The Plan

_Please remember to read the author's notes at the end. Hope you all enjoy the chapter! _

**Chapter IX: The Plan **

**

* * *

**

_.'Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

"_I'll leave you two to … catch up."_

Uchiha Madara's parting words echoed in her mind, like a taunting, maddening refrain. Sakura sucked in a hitched, painful breath and felt fluid rattle inside her lungs. She focused her chakra, concentrating it on the parts of her body that were the most broken. It was hopeless, she knew. Her body could always heal, but her heart; her heart was torn beyond repair, shattered beyond salvation. It pounded now within her, like a dutiful drum, responding to the urgency of her efforts. But it was no use. In many ways, she was already dead.

There was no time; there was never enough time. She was sprawled on her stomach upon the dusty ground, on Konoha soil, with a fractured rib that had only been partially permitted to mend. The fight – if it could be called that – had been too fast for her to follow. It had been over before it had ever really begun. He was too quick, far too swift for her meagre eyes to follow. Even now, he had the same, devastating effect on her. He always made her feel so _weak._ Like she was twelve years old again. Frivolous. Inadequate. Unworthy. And a host of other emotions that she wished to the heavens she could dismiss, overwrite, erase.

She coughed, tasting the metallic tang of blood on her tongue. She could feel it seeping through her vest. It seemed to be everywhere. She had to stop the bleeding, somehow. She had to send word to Naruto. She had to- she had to-

The smothering aura of a dark, malicious chakra caused her frantic thoughts to disintegrate into oblivion. The heavy, suffocating energy blanketed over her like a statically charged thunderstorm, ready to let its deadly elemental potency loose, as Sasuke alighted silently behind her fallen form. He watched as she struggled to push herself up onto one elbow, desperately attempting to drag herself away from him, to buy herself precious seconds of time in which to mend her grievously injured body.

His eyes narrowed, and onyx blended into crimson, fuelled by anger and hatred, jealousy and rage and despair. She would not elude him again, this fragile-looking, slip of a kunoichi who hid her treachery behind bright eyes and an angelic smile. He would not permit it. This time, nobody would come to her aid. This time Kakashi and Naruto – _how Sasuke's blood boiled at the mere thought of the brash blond _– could not save her. He would sever any last remnants of his cursed ties to Konoha, and be free of the chains that bound him to his past at last.

Sakura's right shoulder screamed in protest as a vice-like hand clamped over it, flinging her mercilessly onto her back as if she weighed little more than a feather. Tears were stinging at her eyes and it took everything in her power not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She wondered if it really mattered. After all, she was going to die.

"Any last words, Sa-ku-ra?" his taunting voice was painfully familiar, yet the heartlessness of his words was not. The boy she had fallen in love with so many years earlier had vanished, was nowhere to be found in the deadly vessel of the young man towering over her. She had tried so hard to believe in him. For a brief time, after their encounter on the crumbled bridge on the outskirts of Iron Country, Naruto had helped her trust to hope again. Then Sasuke had arrived in Konoha with Madara, and the very foundations of her world had come crumbling down. It was over. She could no longer believe, no matter how hard, how desperately she wanted it.

_I'm sorry, Naruto…_

His crimson glare bored into her, and the brightness and intensity were enough to steal her breath away. She gazed up into his eyes in awe, nausea swaying her senses at the realisation that even upon the brink of death at Uchiha Sasuke's hands he still held the effortless ability to enthral her. She didn't blink an eyelid as the familiar screech of Chidori filled the air, throwing an eerie glow of brilliant blue light on his handsome features.

He drew his arm back, ready to impale her on the ground, his eyes distant, unseeing. Sakura felt wetness rolling down her face, didn't bother hiding her tears any longer. What last words could she give to the man who had been the centre of her world for as long as she could remember? What last words could she speak to the man who was about to commit the ultimate act of betrayal, the act that would send Naruto into a sea of despair from which she knew he could not be saved? Sensing her final moments drawing near, Sakura was suddenly gripped by a blind panic, sheer terror for Naruto causing her lips to part. With her death, all would be lost. Naruto could forgive Sasuke many things, but never this. They would battle one another, both fuelled by hateful revenge, and they would likely both die - just as Naruto had predicted.

She wept, and ignoring the searing pain in her right arm, raised a tiny, slender hand up, as if to ward Sasuke off, to stop him from sealing his own premature demise.

"I n-never stopped, Sasuke-kun," she sobbed, knowing exactly what she meant, petrified that he wouldn't. In a desperate attempt to clarify, she repeated, "_I never stopped!_"

For a terrible moment, in which time seemed to suspend in the air, she thought she saw a flicker of _something_ pass behind his eyes – but it was gone in a breath, and he drew his arm back, electricity flaring brighter than ever before. A choked whimper escaped Sakura's lips and she squeezed her eyes shut, adrenaline drowning out the sounds of distant voices screaming her name out in horror, as she waited for the last blow of pain, for the final, most absolute wound Sasuke would ever inflict upon her. Images were rushing through her mind's eye, switching wildly like a distorted video reel, jumbling up the past and the present, spinning, merging, flashing and shattering, until there was only one resounding echo left, an echo that belonged to a time long lost, a time that had held her prisoner until her final, dying moments.

_Sakura … arigatou._

When the slicing sound of a blade stabbing violently into the ground whistled within inches of her right ear and crackles of electricity made strands of her hair stand up from the static attraction, Sakura's eyes flew open. Her heart galloped uncontrollably in her chest, palpitating unsteadily at the sight that met her incredulous gaze. Sasuke had lowered himself to crouch above her, legs straddled on either side of her prone form. Long strands of raven hair fell riotously into his lowered face, and Sakura had a mad urge to reach out and run her fingers through the silky, straight locks in an attempt to tame them. The sudden want to do something so intimate, so inappropriate, almost pushed her to release a hysterical scream. Yet her eyes were fixed on Sasuke's bowed head. His own were lowered, but the expression on his face was one of livid fury.

The electricity was still spitting precariously close to her head. Sakura dazedly wondered why she couldn't feel its burn, why he was holding the malicious energy back, how he could have possibly missed his habitually impeccable aim. She licked her dry, chapped lips, forced her heavy, numbed tongue to articulate the first consonant of his beloved name.

"S-"

"Damn it," Sasuke cursed, cutting her off. Sakura's mouth remained open in bewilderment. She was not certain whether he was addressing her or talking to himself. The seconds dragged by, grew into a minute of silence mingled with the laboriousness of his breathing, as if he were struggling with a heavy weight on his chest. Sakura felt something flutter into existence in her own, a semblance of something she had thought had been lost forever.

"Sasuke-kun," she managed to croak out with great difficulty, "You-"

"You should have tried your luck when you had the chance, Sakura," he hissed. Sakura's eyes widened as a painfully vivid set of images flew through her mind's memory at his words.

_A red-haired kunoichi's shredded skin healing beneath her hands. _

_The sight of Kakashi fighting for his life. _

_The tingling sensation of concentrating chakra into her feet to retain perfect poise against the pull of gravity. _

_Her eyes fixing onto a dark mop of spiky, dishevelled hair below. _

_The blood-stained emblem of the Uchiha clan within inches of her kunai, the inability to keep her hand steady… _

With an abruptness she could not have possibly guarded against, Sasuke lifted his head, long, dark lashes sweeping up to fix her with a devastatingly piercing glare loaded with malicious intent. Except that was not what Sakura saw. She saw a magnificent kaleidoscope of red and black, an intricate pattern beyond description and likeness. The Mangekyou Sharingan, a distant, still functioning part of her mind faintly registered, before the world seemed to blur around her, rushing into grey, until all she could see clearly was the brilliance of his punishing eyes.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

The two dark-haired shinobi exchanged nonplussed glances as they followed after the slender blonde kunoichi, who looked to the entire world as though she were marching straight into a battlefield.

"May I ask where we are going?" Sai finally enquired politely.

"You'll see!" she called back distractedly, the wheels in her head turning as she rapidly calculated a cunning strategy to set what she'd termed 'Operation Love' spinning in motion. She was Cupid, armed with the bow and arrow of love, that she was going to fire at Uchiha Sasuke to make him realise just how extremely sightless he was being. He perplexed her beyond reason. What was the _matter_ with him? Countless numbers of young men in the village pined after Sakura. Couldn't Sasuke see how gorgeous she was? How very pretty she had become, and how very beautiful she would doubtlessly be a few more years down the line, once the flow of time settled her features into the perfected mould of adulthood? Sure, she wasn't as bountifully blessed in the chest department as Hinata was (_yet_, Ino was quite sure, since Sakura was a late bloomer), but she had great legs, and a cute little rear, even if she couldn't make her hips sway as seductively as Ino did. Heaven knew she had tried to teach Sakura to walk in her likeness and leave a trail of drooling shinobi and civilian men in her wake, but in vain; the pink-haired kunoichi had never been able to get the hang of it.

_She's so hopeless_, Ino thought affectionately. They were best friends, and so it was Ino's duty to offer her assistance. After all, Sakura had always been completely lost without her.

A tinge of wistfulness struck at Ino as she briefly discarded the superior front she often adapted in Sakura's presence. She'd watched Sakura grow, blossom into an accomplished kunoichi. The reality was she didn't need her as much as Ino liked to think. It hadn't been easy for the Hokage's young apprentice to pick herself up after Sasuke's abandonment of the village. It had taken her a lot of time to recover, and she'd cried rivers of tears along the way, but the fact that she had made it through to the other side, stronger than before, was a testament to her character and strength of will.

No, Ino silently acknowledged, Sakura could function perfectly well without her help. Without her intervention, she would continue with her daily routine, acting as though everything was fine, but Ino knew better. Sakura could function – but she couldn't really _live_ without Sasuke. Her emotions were tied to the last of the Uchiha's by the red string of fate, and in his steady presence she flourished like a delighted flower in the sun. Yet she also shrunk, withered away, whenever he shunned her.

Ino's sense of determination increased ten-fold and the steely expression of resolve on her face was one that Shikamaru would have viewed with trepidation. It meant that she had set her mind to something, and the world would pay dearly if it tried to stand in her way.

* * *

By the edge of the small, rolling riverbank stood a tall, handsome figure in solitude, the very picture of elegant, unruffled poise, the last remaining survivor of a highly revered but cursed lineage. Sasuke watched the way the water rippled in the pleasant, evening breeze. It was fast approaching sunset, and he knew it would soon be time for him to return to his apartment. His left hand was stuffed casually into his pocket, and in his right he held a smooth, cool pebble. His mind drifted back, thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind, to a distant time when his life had been full of warmth, when the centre of his world had been a tall, silent boy with a gentle smile and kind, dark eyes.

* * *

_.'Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

Little feet pounded against the cobbled ground as bright eyes frantically sought out their target. Sasuke hardly heard the passing voices of villagers calling out his name affectionately as he raced through the idyllic avenues. He knew his parents would disapprove of him dallying around in the streets on his short journey home from school, but he didn't care much for it. He only wanted to see one person. Small, cherub like features broke out into a brilliant smile as he skidded around a corner and finally spied the figure he'd been searching for, standing proud and dignified on the small riverbank.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke exclaimed in glee, rushing forward again, almost tripping over his own feet in his eagerness to reach his big brother. Sure enough the older boy turned, just in time to see a small body flying toward him. He retained perfect balance as Sasuke barrelled into him, tiny arms circling around his waist in what Uchiha Itachi assumed was a poor attempt at a tackle. Sasuke held on tight, and felt his heart sink a little when Itachi's arms remained stationary by his sides. Experience had taught Sasuke that although Itachi permitted and tolerated his childish embraces, he never returned them. It did not stop Sasuke from hoping that someday his big brother would hug him back, however.

"Well, well, Itachi," a voice that did not belong to his brother commented patronisingly. "Is that your midget of a baby brother again?"

Sasuke peered around the protective fortress offered by Itachi and glared impudently up at the taller youth who had spoken. Uchiha Shisui was two and a half years Itachi's senior and Sasuke was secretly jealous of all the time the two spent together on missions.

"I am _not_ a midget," Sasuke defended. "And I'm not a baby – I'm six!"

"Whatever you say, little squirt," Shisui waved dismissively, looking utterly unconvinced.

Sasuke scowled, arms tightening unconsciously around Itachi, as if in a silent plea for his brother to defend him against the unjust tirade Shisui had launched against him. Sasuke had never known what to make of Shisui; with his wavy, dark hair, sharp eyes and unpredictable personality – ranging from taciturn one second to sarcastic and condescending the next – he was a contradictory puzzle. The little boy was certain he didn't like him much; after all, he got to spend so much more time with Itachi, and he was always teasing Sasuke about _something_, most often his small stature. What did Itachi like about him? They seemed to get on remarkably well, which annoyed Sasuke to no end. He begrudgingly supposed that Shisui had to be cool in some way, even if he'd never seen evidence of it.

"I'm starting at the Academy next year," Sasuke proudly informed him.

Shisui raised an eyebrow in response. "Is that so?" he replied, casting a brief look at Itachi, before smirking down at Sasuke again. "Bet you'll be the shortest one there, too."

Sasuke's lower lip protruded unhappily. Before he could retort, Itachi stemmed the older boy's teasing with a single, softly-spoken word.

"Shisui."

Shisui chuckled, and held out a hand. "Hah, fine, I'll stop; I don't want him to cry. C'mere, Sasuke."

"No," Sasuke replied obstinately, turning his face away and burying it into Itachi's back.

"My, my, are you scared?" Shisui taunted, choosing to disregard the warning look Itachi shot at him. "Don't you want to show your big brother how brave you are?"

At those words, Sasuke jumped away from Itachi like he was a live-wire, and ran straight up to Shisui, scrunching up his face and giving the older boy his fiercest frown yet. To his surprise, and slight dismay at not being taken seriously, Shisui's lips curved into a small smile.

"A fine Uchiha glare you've got there. I'm sure it'll scare people senseless…in about a decade," Shisui chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the soft, downy hair on top of Sasuke's head, disarranging its unruliness further. Before Sasuke could figure out whether or not he'd just been complimented, Shisui crouched down to level their height, and held something small up to him. A pebble, Sasuke realised.

"Hey, wanna see a trick, kid?"

Sasuke was thrown by the sudden change in Shisui's demeanour, and glanced uncertainly back at Itachi. His brother was staring thoughtfully out at the sunset falling over the river, obviously trusting that Shisui would behave himself. Sasuke felt his shoulders relax a little as he turned his face back to Shisui's.

"What kind of trick?" he questioned, curious despite himself.

"A really neat trick," said Shisui, standing up again and walking toward the edge of the river bank. Sasuke watched as he drew his left hand back and threw the pebble into the water. Instead of sinking, the stone skipped over the surface four times before disappearing. Sasuke's lips parted in awe. This cool trick had to be the reason why Itachi hung around with Shisui so much. He'd known all along that there had to be a logical explanation for their unlikely friendship!

"Do it again," Sasuke challenged. Shisui grinned, plucked another stone from the ground, and repeated the feat. Sasuke clamped his mouth shut, now thoroughly convinced that it hadn't been down to luck the first time.

"Impressed?" Shisui enquired.

Sasuke's lips twisted as he grudgingly nodded his head.

Shisui leaned down and whispered to him, "Not even Itachi can do this. It's a special, super cool trick that only I can-" he broke off abruptly, for Itachi had moved to pick up a stone. Sasuke watched, with baited breath, as his big brother threw it casually into the air before catching it again, and then drew his right arm back. The stone sailed over the water considerably farther than Shisui's had. A huge beam spread over Sasuke's face as pride swelled into his little chest. Of course his nii-san was better! His big brother was the best at everything!

"That was so cool nii-san!" he gushed.

"Pfft, way take all the glory, show off," Shisui muttered in disgust. "I'll leave this little midget to idolise you. Later, Itachi," he stepped back, patted Sasuke's head one final time, before turning away and departing.

Sasuke hardly noticed. He'd gathered a handful of pebbles and held them eagerly up to Itachi, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Teach me, nii-san! I want to do it too!"

He was delighted when Itachi crouched down, deciding to indulge him. "First you must choose a flat stone," Itachi informed him, turning over the pebbles in Sasuke's small hands with slender, skilled fingers and picking out three. As Sasuke discarded the rest, Itachi weighed the stones in his hand. "Make sure it isn't too heavy. Hold the stone in between your index finger and thumb."

"Like this?" Sasuke asked, copying the action.

Itachi nodded. "Now, watch me," he instructed. He rose, standing with the left side of his body aligned toward the river. Sasuke replicated the stance, observing as Itachi placed his weight back on his right foot.

"Keep your aim low," Itachi said, "Bring your arm across your chest, and throw the stone in the direction you want it to go." He demonstrated, and the pebble skipped merrily over the water. Then he turned his attention back to Sasuke, who had a determined look on his face.

"Got it! Here I go!" he said, swinging his arm across his front with all his might. The stone flew from his grasp – and landed a measly short distance in front of him. Sasuke was horrified at his failure to deliver under Itachi's watchful gaze, and cast a confused look up at his big brother, who had something that looked suspiciously like the beginning of a smile pulling at his lips.

"You didn't teach me right!" Sasuke accused indignantly.

Itachi shook his head slightly, but before he could respond, Sasuke had rushed forward, so that he stood at the very edge of the gentle slope. If he stood this close, surely the stone would reach the water! He adopted the stance Itachi had demonstrated moments earlier, and flung the stone. This time the force of his throw caused his left foot to pivot, and he felt his body teetering forward, his balance lost. Before he could fall over the edge and into the water, however, a firm arm closed around his shoulders, drawing him back against a warm body. Sasuke felt heat pool to his cheeks as Itachi held him lightly against his side, in what looked to the entire world, and felt to Sasuke, like an embrace.

The delighted little boy was grinning from ear to ear, instantly forgetting all about his inability to skip stones, as the gentle-toned voice behind him murmured, "Careful, Sasuke."

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

Sasuke blinked out of the memory and stared down at the flat pebble in his right hand. The heaviness in his chest was now crushing, impossible to ignore. How could he ever negotiate the loss of his brother? The knowledge that illness, and not Sasuke, had claimed Itachi's life made the reality no easier to accept. He'd wasted so many years hating Itachi, when all along Itachi had been the victim of a grand scheme he'd had no choice but to partake in. How could Sasuke have not seen it? How could he have not _seen? _

Sasuke looked back up at the water, drew his arm back, and threw the stone, watching as it skipped perfectly over the surface several times before disappearing into the liquid depths.

_I got the hang of it eventually, nii-san_, he thought sardonically, before the sound of feminine giggling darkened his mood considerably further. His body tensed as he directed a glance back over his shoulder, to find two teenage girls standing a cautious distance behind him. One was brown-haired, the other a sandy blonde. They both sported tell-tale blushes and were gazing at him in open admiration. Sasuke drew his eyes away in disgust. Didn't they know who he was, what he had been less than a year prior? He already knew the answer. They were blinded by infatuation and couldn't see anywhere past his indifferent exterior.

The sky above him was tinged with the first tentative colours of sunset. It was time he headed home. Turning his back to the whispering girls, he stepped back onto the familiar cobbled street and began to make his way toward his apartment.

* * *

"How much longer?" Lee whispered, as he peered around the tree trunk.

Ino frowned, lovely features drawing together in confusion. "I don't get it; he's always out the hospital by this time!"

"Who?" Sai asked. "Who is it we are expecting?"

They'd been waiting in their concealed spot for nearly twenty minutes, but even Sai was beginning to tire of Ino's lack of explanations.

"Would you two just be quiet for one-" Ino broke off, gasping as a figure exited the hospital doors at that precise moment. "That's him!"

Both Sai and Lee struggled to make out the form of a brown-haired, bespectacled youth ahead. "What's so special about him?" Lee wondered out loud, thoroughly puzzled.

"Shush! Don't move from this spot!" Ino hissed, darting out from behind the tree. She hurried toward the figure, smoothing back her flowing, blonde mane along the way, and practically threw herself into the young man's path. He was so surprised that he nearly dropped the manila folder he was carrying in his hands.

"Good evening Toru-kun," Ino drawled, smiling flirtatiously.

Toru Osagawa stared at her from under a shock of messy brown hair. A doctor-in-training, he shared shifts with medical staff at the hospital, including one particular Haruno Sakura. Eagle-eyed Ino, during her coinciding shifts at the hospital, had noticed the way he watched and admired Sakura from a distance. Heck, she was pretty certain that he had a serious thing going on for her best friend.

It fit in perfectly with the crafty plan she had formulated. The only problem was, Toru was far from stupid, and she had to choose her words wisely.

"Y-you're Yamanaka Ino, right?" he questioned, and Ino resisted the urge to smirk. He was nervous; that was definitely a good sign.

She placed a dainty hand dramatically over her heart. "You know my name, Toru-kun! I was so afraid you wouldn't recognise me!"

"It's pretty hard not to," Toru muttered under his breath, and a beaming Ino took it as a compliment. She decided that she liked this guy better than she had thought she would. Avoiding her eyes, he added embarrassedly, "D-did you want something?"

Ino sighed heavily and recited the script she'd hastily formulated only a few minutes earlier. "Oh, I've been going _crazy_. I just don't know who to turn to for help. Someone has to know how to cheer her up. I've tried asking everyone, but nobody can help!"

Toru frowned at her in confusion. "Huh…? What are you talking about?"

"Sakura!" Ino exclaimed, flinging her hands up into the air in a gesture of dismay that was by no means exaggerated. "She's been so down lately, and she's overworking herself at the hospital, as I'm sure you've noticed!" She paused, blinking innocently at the treacherous blush that blossomed on the young junior doctor's face.

Toru swallowed, uncertain as to where the conversation was heading. He could scarcely believe that Yamanaka Ino was even talking to him. Glamorous girls like Ino didn't look twice at guys like him. He hoped that this tendency would change once he was a fully-fledged doctor, but until then, he was quite aware of his limits. Yet here Ino was regardless, treading precariously close to a very sensitive matter; had he really been staring at Haruno Sakura so obviously lately?

Ino placed a despairing hand to her forehead. "She's been pushing all her friends away. I just don't know what to do. I want to cheer her up, but I just don't know how!"

Toru licked his lips nervously. "Uh, I'm sorry about that but…why are you telling me this?"

"You're friends with Sakura, aren't you?" Ino looked up at him with wide, hopeful baby-blue eyes. "Maybe you could try cheering her up?"

"M-me?" Toru blanched. "Uh, no. No way. You're talking to the wrong person here, I'm-"

"Please, Toru-kun!" Ino clasped her hands together imploringly, batting her lashes for extra effect. "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you for a change!"

Toru shook his head frantically. "S-sorry, I can't-"

Ino sensed that Plan A was failing miserably and decided to switch to her backup. Losing her patience, she promptly dropped the helpless damsel in distress act. Sakura had probably found Sasuke, and they were probably walking in infuriating silence at this very moment. Time was running out! She jabbed a finger into a bewildered Toru's chest, snapping, "Now you listen here, Sakura saved your sorry butt from a serious hiding the other day when you mixed up that paperwork. Go take her some flowers and show her some gratitude!"

Toru's grey eyes widened. "Wha-! H-how do you even know about that…?"

Ino smiled deviously. "Oh, I see everything that goes on around here, Toru-_kun,"_ she cooed. "Now are you going to thank her, or am I going to have to tell the head honcho who was responsible for that little accident the other day?"

Toru's stuttered, completely flustered, and Ino knew she had him exactly where she wanted him. She needed flowers. She needed flowers right now. There wasn't time to stop by her family's flower shop. Thinking fast, she scanned her surroundings and her eyes brightened at the sight of a clump of white daisies and purple asters growing by the small, neatly kept, decorative lawn to her right. They weren't Sakura's favourites, but they would have to do.

"Those are perfect!" Ino grinned, drawing Toru's attention to the flora growing happily in the grass. The poor youth looked terrified, and Ino felt a fleeting pang of guilt. Then she reminded herself why she was doing this, and reasoned that it was necessary for the greater good. Toru was mortified, but he'd get over it, she was sure.

"Lee, Sai!" she called back over her shoulder, stunning the trainee doctor further when the two shinobi stepped out from behind the tree. As they reached her, Ino turned to Lee.

"Lee. Search for Sasuke! When you've found him, ask him if he's seen Sakura. Sai?" she looked at the pale-skinned young man, who nodded in silent understanding, pulling out a scroll, brush and ink from his supplies pouch. In a flurry of elegant strokes, he drew the outline of a small rat.

Ino wrinkled her nose in distaste. Were rats Sai's favourite animal, or something? As he spoke the words to breathe life into his creation, she supposed it didn't matter what animal it was, as long as it did the desired job.

"But Ino-san," Lee began, having mulled over his designated task for a moment, and failed to see the sense in it, "If we are searching for Sakura-san, surely I ought to seek her out directly, rather than Sasuke-"

Ino blinked. "Do you have a problem with my plan, Lee?" she trilled.

Lee remembered what Shikamaru had once warned him about a woman's temper, and wisely chose to shake his head. "Ah, no, n-not at all. I shall see to it immediately! Don't fear! Youth will prevail in this task!"

Ino rolled her eyes as he set off with the ink rat in tow.

"What shall I do?" Sai asked.

Ino smiled a sweet smile. "You're going to lead our friend here to our lovely Sakura."

Toru met her blue-eyed gaze and gulped.

* * *

Sakura released a growl of frustration. Just where had Sasuke gone? She'd been searching for him for what seemed like an age, without any luck. If Tsunade found out about her carelessness, there would be hell to pay. The pastel-haired kunoichi paled at the thought of confronting her mentor's uncompromising face the following morning. If Sasuke had returned to his apartment unattended, she was in big trouble. She couldn't check if he had, because the ANBU guards would surely spy her alone and suspect that she had lost track of him. Then Tsunade would find out about her blunder sooner rather than later.

She rounded another corner, which brought her to the village's riverbank. It led toward the bridge, where the original members of Team Seven had spent many a morning waiting for Kakashi to show up prior to missions. Had Sasuke gone this way? She saw several villagers walking down the street, but none of them sported the characteristic crop of spiky dark hair.

Sakura shook her head in dismay, furious at Naruto once again. This was his job, not hers! Even if she did find Sasuke, she felt completely miserable, and knew that she would have nothing to say to him. And if she did think of something to say, it would likely be something foolish that would only worsen his opinion of her.

She thought back to the morning, when she had woken up so happy, so optimistic. How could a few hours have changed so much, changed everything? She couldn't stop remembering the warmth and feel of Sasuke's body against hers, the way he'd carried her so carefully, shielded her so protectively from all the other teams' advances to steal their ribbons. She couldn't forget the way he'd looked at her when she'd fallen to the forest floor, the murderous glint in his eyes as he'd discovered the ones responsible for her descent. Her heart fluttered and then sunk as she recalled how he'd snapped at her at the noodle bar. She was just as confused as she had been at twelve, even more so, because now they were older, and she was completely thrown by the contradictory messages that Sasuke probably didn't even realise he was sending out to her.

She didn't want to spend the rest of her life trying to figure them out, pining for something she could never have. She was tired of the rollercoaster ride she'd unwittingly boarded years ago, where she was full of hope one moment, and utter despair at the next. Her heart couldn't take it. It hurt so much that she was sure it would burst. She would always love him, she knew; but she owed it to herself to at least attempt to move on.

Nodding resolutely, Sakura straightened her shoulders and continued along the path, hoping that fate would help her stumble across her teammate, and soon.

* * *

Sasuke had decided to take the longer route back. He was lost in his reflections and was in no particular rush to get back home and retire for the evening. Going for solitary walks was one of the few things he supposed he almost enjoyed doing. The thought of being locked back in his apartment for the night, under the watchful surveillance of ANBU guards, made his blood boil. The hands that were stuffed in his pockets closed into angry fists. He wanted the freedom to go where he pleased, whenever he pleased. He wanted- he wanted _something _to give, something to change_._ He could not think for the life of him, however, what that something was.

He had stuck to the relatively quieter alleyways in order to avoid the whispers and stares of villagers, and so was not expecting to hear a familiar voice calling out a familiar name nearby.

"Sakura-san!"

Sasuke's eyes rose expectantly ahead of him as he located the direction of the sound. "Sakura-san!" came the distinct call once again, a split-second before Lee veered around the corner of a deserted supplies store. His lanky form paused momentarily as he twisted his head, seeking out the object of his affections.

"Sakura-sa-" he broke off as he looked to his right, catching sight of Sasuke, who had also come to an abrupt stop at the appearance of Gai's enthusiastic pupil. The raven-haired, former nukenin stood as regally and stoically as ever, head tilted back haughtily, with the very same air of nonchalance circulating about him. But the hard glint in his eyes spoke entirely different volumes.

Was Lee still pursuing Sakura after all these years? Sasuke was bothered to realise that Lee's persistence grated on his nerves. He found Lee intrusive. And why was he searching for Sakura now, anyway? It was irritating. Which part of 'no' did Lee struggle to comprehend?

It was the skinnier youth who broke the tense silence, evidently missing the blatant warning in the young Uchiha's shadowed gaze.

"Ah! Sasuke! I'm searching for Sa-!"

He didn't get to complete his statement, for Sasuke's clipping tone cut in, sharp, slicing and utterly unyielding.

"Get lost."

Lee's round eyes blinked at the clear hostility directed at him. "But- I was certain she left the table to look for you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in response and Lee's uneasiness heightened when he received no verbal reply.

"I, ah, I see she is not here," Lee said awkwardly, silently wondering what the nature of Sasuke's quarrel was with him. Surely he couldn't still hold a grudge from their childhood scuffle years earlier? He could not quite grasp why Sasuke seemed to dislike him so intensely. "I shall search elsewhere. I am sorry to have troubled you, Sasuke." With that, he made a hasty retreat, leaving a displeased Sasuke glaring in his wake.

**Author's Note**

_Phew, an arduous, plot moving chapter. Next one will be SasuSaku heavy with lots of frowns on Sasuke's part and even more confusion on poor Sakura's. Mwaha. Not many chapters left now; I'm forcing myself to stem the ideas that would expand the story further, as I've really got to start wrapping this up, otherwise it'll never end! _

_You might be interested to know what inspired the first flashback in this chapter. I can across a wonderful piece of fanart called 'Just can't Kill Her' by Yei Byuujin on deviantart; please check the link on the top of my profile page and you'll be able to see it! Please consider leaving her a comment too. I should stress it wasn't drawn for this story, it just inspired a scene xD_

_Ok, now I'm sorry to bring up the reviewing issue yet again but it's driving me up the wall; if you read this and never ever bother commenting, please consider leaving a short REVIEW sometime. I'm getting pretty frustrated by the sheer volume of favourite story/author alerts I'm receiving in my Inbox regularly for stories that people like, but don't take the time to review (particularly for my Refraction fic, which has a poor amount of reviews compared to the huge number of people who've read it!). It demotivates me and I'm tempted to go on something like a writing strike in protest! It takes 2 minutes to write a review. Feedback is really important to me, so please let me know what you like or what you think I could improve. Just a sentence is enough! If you lot don't let me know, how can I tell if I'm writing well or not? Just a thought for all you silent ones; thank you for reading, and I'm flattered you like my story enough to favourite it, but could you kindly tell me what you like about it when you do so? _

_To all the other people who regularly leave me reviews, I heart each and every one of you! You inspire me, you keep me going! So thank you! I struggled through my writer's block to produce this chapter for you all (and BGA, of course!)! : ) I hope it was worth the long wait! Until next time, ciao for now people!_


	10. Possession

_Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews you all left for the last chapter. A special thanks to all those who admitted to never usually reviewing but who kindly took the time to leave a comment. You have no idea how happy you made me! I'm going to set aside some time to reply to everyone's reviews, but just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks here too. And to all my regular reviewers, you're all as awesome as ever. Here's a quick update to express my gratitude, and also as something of a little Christmas treat. Hope you enjoy the start of some serious SasuSaku action! Can anyone guess the theme of this chapter? Hint, the title is a major giveaway!_

**Chapter X: Possession**

**

* * *

**

_You'll be possessed, Little Blossom,_

_By the last of a cursed line,_

_Whether now or later,_

_It shall happen in time._

_He does not yet perceive it,_

_Yet the foundations are laid,_

_From the way he shields you,_

_For your safety he'd slay._

_And threat is marked in crimson eyes,_

_When others seek to advance and try,_

_To win your favour and affection,_

_It draws his displeasure, his angry attention._

_He is the Tempest that brews high in the sky,_

_Looming over your head, arranged to strike,_

_To bolt out the ones who push their luck,_

_Those fools will fall, swift and quick._

_For no other can claim you,_

_Yet he does not perceive,_

_Why their amorous intentions,_

_Cause him such unease._

_You are closer than you know._

_Try to leave – he won't let go._

_

* * *

_

_.'Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

She'd always felt out of place amongst them, overshadowed and eclipsed by the two offspring of legendary entities; Sasuke of the prestigious Uchiha clan, and Naruto, the only child of Namikaze Minato, the great Fourth Hokage himself. By default their respective lineages had set them up for greatness from birth. They would take their places amongst the stars in time. They'd rewrite history together. Who was she, Haruno Sakura, in comparison? She was a girl from an ordinary, civilian family who'd been determined to play kunoichi from a young age, and had had to work exceptionally hard to make it. She'd had no blood limit to call her own. Consequently, Sakura was always watching her teammates' backs, observing them from the side-lines, always powerless to stop their quarrels and disputes. Her two most precious people understood each other best on the battlefield, and there was no place for her when they talked with angry fists. They did not see her. In the violent, hostile heat of battle, she did not exist.

But now the war had been won, and she was anxious to go to them. Kakashi's light yet restraining hand rested on her right shoulder, because he knew that without its rein she would have thrown herself into the burning wreckage of the battle zone long ago.

"Naruto…Sasuke-kun," she whispered fearfully, hands clasped tightly above her heart. They'd received word from one of Naruto's toad summons that the fight was over, but that had been almost ten minutes prior. Had Madara somehow pulled one final, deadly attack, a secret jutsu that neither Naruto nor Sasuke had anticipated? What if they'd been caught off their guards? What if they both lay in pools of blood at that very moment…? Sakura gulped, severing the thought. She had to remain positive. She'd told herself that she would believe in them, and she did, with every fibre of her being.

A sudden explosion of wind and lightning energy shot up over the horizon, causing Sakura to scream and the other faces of Konoha's future to gasp and murmur in alarm. A blaze of fire and smoke billowed after, and Sakura was all at once frantic.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's happening?" she whipped her head around to look to her teacher, who was gazing out at the skyline with a lone, exhausted eye. When he gave her no response, Sakura felt her blood turn to ice. Kakashi always had the answers. What did it mean that he had remained silent…?

The minutes dragged by, and with every second that passed Sakura's anxiety grew, until it became impossible to contain. With no warning she shot forward, catching Kakashi by surprise.

"Sakura!"

"_Sakura!"_

"_Sakura-san!"_

She barely heard the startled calls of her friends and elders. Kakashi was following her, she knew, and soon fell into place beside her. She felt a measure of reassurance; that somehow everything would be alright as long as Kakashi accompanied her. They ran, for what seemed like an age, when they were both brought to an abrupt halt by the sudden appearance of two silhouettes in the smoky distance. A gust of wind cleared the haze for a brief moment, and Sakura gasped at what she glimpsed. Both Naruto and Sasuke were limping forward, Naruto heavily supporting his friend. Their pace was devastatingly slow, their movements laboured, and alarm bells were ringing deafeningly in Sakura's ears at the sight. She and Kakashi raced toward the struggling pair at super speed, and when they finally closed the distance, Sasuke fell forward, pulling an exhausted, wounded Naruto down with him. Both their faces were stained with ash, grime and cuts that were still bleeding.

"Sakura!" Kakashi called to her, but she was already at her teammates' sides, medically trained eyes scanning over their injuries. She reached for Naruto first, the subconscious fear of Sasuke that still lingered causing her to do so, but he gently pushed her hand away, gasping.

"Sasuke- help Sasuke!"

She didn't need to be told twice. With trembling hands she examined him, biting down on her lower lip when she discovered the worst of his wounds; a deep, angry stab injury to the left side of his stomach. So much blood…a quick glance at Sasuke's disorientated face informed her that he was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness. But as she summoned healing chakra to her fingertips, Sasuke suddenly stirred, hand swiping at hers in a weak attempt to ward her off.

"Leave it!" he wheezed through clenched teeth. Sakura stared at him, aghast. He didn't want to be healed? But _why?_

"Don't make me beat you to death, you bastard!" Naruto growled. "Not now that we finally understand each other! Do it, Sakura-chan!"

Kakashi held a protesting Sasuke's arms at bay as Sakura set to work, a look of utter resolve on her face. Naruto and Sasuke would always outshine her, but this, at least, was something she could do. She was the one who supported them, the cement that helped hold Team 7 together. And she wouldn't let them down when they needed her most.

She concentrated, perspiration beading her brow, as she closed the most grievous of Sasuke's damages. It took ten minutes and she was near exhaustion by the time she was done. Kakashi remained behind Sasuke, allowing the raven-haired young Uchiha to lean back against him.

"You did well, Naruto, Sasuke," their sensei commended, before lapsing back into thoughtful silence as Sasuke released a derisive snort, then winced from the resulting ache in his chest. Sakura knew he would need to rest for a significant amount of time to completely recuperate; she'd only tended to the most life-threatening of injuries, and he'd require extra follow-up treatment once they returned to Konoha.

The thought of Sasuke in Konoha again almost drove her to distraction, but she soon pulled her thoughts together and turned to Naruto, who offered her a fatigued but triumphant grin. She could read the unspoken message in his eyes; they had won, and Sasuke was back amongst them at last.

A surge of warmth swelled in Sakura's heart as a depth of love and fondness stronger than any other feeling of amity she'd ever felt toward the blond shinobi overcame her at that moment. He was her hero in more ways than he knew. Tears prickled at her eyes as she set to work on him, and she was all too conscious of the weight of Sasuke's stare as he looked on in silence. But she refused to return his heavy-lidded gaze, focusing all her attention on assisting Naruto's wounds to close faster. She didn't have to exert as much as she had on Sasuke, for the kyuubi's chakra was already working to seal many of the abrasions. When she was done, she slid her arms around Naruto, who stiffened in surprise, before relaxing into her hold.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured in a muffled, sly voice against her shoulder, "Now that I'm a real hero, how about we go on a real date?"

Sakura spluttered, surprised at the arbitrariness of his suggestion and shoved him away. He howled dramatically in protest. "Idiot!" she censured, but only half-heartedly, smiling helplessly at him. She then paused, feeling eyes burning intently into her, and turned her head just in time to see Sasuke avert his gaze. To the world he appeared nonchalant, withdrawn, but to Sakura he just looked sullen and resigned. Naruto was looking at him too, and then glanced pointedly at Sakura, who bit her lower lip anxiously. When her blond teammate nodded encouragingly, she shook her head, apprehensive. The last time she had stood so close to Sasuke, he had grabbed her by the throat with the intention of terminating her life. At their limited, subsequent meetings she had kept a carefully calculated distance from him and allowed Naruto to do most of the talking.

But now Naruto was looking at her with clear blue eyes that screamed at her to follow the instructions of her heart and not the cautions of her mind. They both knew she had waited so long for the window of opportunity that now beckoned to her. Shakily, she slid back over to Sasuke, her heart galloping wildly within her. His heavy lashed eyes darted back to her immediately, but his expression remained guarded and, she thought sadly, a little mistrustful. Yet how could she blame him? It hadn't been so long ago when they'd both tried to eliminate one another in respective moments of madness.

"I'm glad you're alright, Sasuke-kun," she said earnestly, hoping he could read the genuine sentiment in her eyes. His bottomless onyx orbs searched hers for a moment, before he averted his gaze once again.

"Hn," was all he offered dismissively, and Sakura's heart ached. She didn't dare to move closer, to do what her heart yearned for, to throw her arms around Sasuke and to hold him close and tight, the way she had done so often back when they'd been Genin. Yet she couldn't summon the courage to do so, was terrified of how he might respond. A weighty pause ensued, which prompted Kakashi to raise an eyebrow. Naruto and Sasuke had seemingly settled their issues on the battlefield, but the tension between Sakura and Sasuke was palpable, hung heavily in the air like a thick, smothering cloud of smoke. He made note of how guarded and rigid Sasuke's body language was toward the girl he had always permitted to hang on his arm as a child, and how nervous Sakura looked in proximity to him.

Things had changed, the renowned copy ninja wearily acknowledged. The question remained, would things ever revert back to resemble the days of old? He hadn't lost hope for his students; with time, and with Naruto and Sakura's good influence, he was optimistic that Sasuke would come back around.

A multitude of blurred forms suddenly alighted into existence, causing the original members of Team 7 to tense as the masked faces of a platoon of ANBU guards encircled them. Kakashi was on his feet in an instant. Naruto ignored his aching, screaming limbs and jumped up in turn, jaw clenched, ready for confrontation if necessary. Sakura shifted to crouch in front of Sasuke, as if to bodily shield him from what they all knew was coming.

"We must ask you to step aside, Kakashi-san, Naruto, Sakura." The tallest guard who they assumed was the leader of the unit informed then. "We have a warrant to arrest Uchiha Sasuke for crimes committed against Konoha."

"Crimes?" Naruto echoed. "It's Konoha that's committed crimes against him!"

"Please," Sakura pleaded, "He needs medical attention at the hospital, this can surely wait until-"

"Negative," the leader cut in. "He is to accompany us immediately to the Hokage's office."

"Like hell we're letting you take him!" Naruto snarled, hands balling into angry fists.

The ANBU guards unsheathed their weapons, and then Sakura was on her feet too. Kakashi held up a hand to dispel the tension that had rapidly escalated.

"Naruto, Sakura," he said pointedly. To the ANBU, he entreated, "Please put away your weapons. There is no need for them; Sasuke is out of chakra and is no longer a threat."

The ANBU glanced uncertainly at each other, awaiting instruction from their leader. Even a chakra-depleted Sasuke was unpredictable and dangerous in their eyes.

"Rest assured that we will take Sasuke to Lady Tsunade ourselves, just as soon as he is patched up at the hospital," Kakashi added. "I will supervise this personally."

"How do we know you'll really take him there?" the leader demanded mistrustfully. "He's your old student, after all, and it's natural for you to want to protect him."

"You have my word," Kakashi replied evenly.

Sasuke was glaring heatedly at Kakashi, but wisely chose to remain silent. The ANBU leader regarded the young Uchiha for a long moment, before returning his dagger to its scabbard. His unit mimicked his action, visibly relaxing.

"Very well then. Hatake Kakashi, we expect you to report to the Hokage's office, with Sasuke, three hours from now."

"Affirmative," Kakashi replied. The ANBU leader nodded, and then he and his unit disappeared as swiftly and silently as they had arrived.

"Bastards," Naruto hissed after them. Kakashi gave him a look that told him to let his old sensei handle such affairs, and then all three of them turned to look back down at Sasuke, still seated on the dusty earth. He looked petulant and proud, and a little indignant at the fact that he'd just allowed himself to be defended so openly.

"Well, Sasuke?" Kakashi said lightly, as he and Naruto held out their hands to the last survivor of the Uchiha clan, in a token full of warmth and acceptance, ready to take him home at last. Sakura clasped her hands over her fluttering heart, breath seized in hope, as their sensei added, "Shall we?"

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

_

* * *

_

Toru clutched anxiously onto the clump of common lawn flowers in his grasp. If he'd had any idea that Yamanaka Ino would ambush him at the end of his hospital shift and intimidate him into approaching Haruno Sakura, he would have never bothered crawling out of bed that morning.

"_Thank Sakura,"_ Ino's parting words echoed in his mind, _"And while you're at it, they're opening a new ward in two days, aren't they? You're pretty familiar with the layout; why not ask Sakura if she'd like a tour of the place? She's been curious to see it for months!" _

Her suggestions were easier said than done. But Ino wasn't the sort of girl who took no for an answer. Toru's grey eyes shifted up from the cobbled road he'd been staring at deploringly, to rest on the back of the dark-haired young shinobi known as Sai, walking a few footfalls ahead of him. The junior doctor was a little unnerved by how pale in complexion Sai was, and even more disturbed by the strange smile that seemed permanently plastered on the youth's face, not to mention the small matter of the ink creations he was able to paint and bring so effortlessly to life.

Toru silently prayed that Sai wouldn't succeed in locating Sakura. He couldn't think of anything more humiliating than having to face his secret crush, only to have rejection thrown at him. He winced at the very thought; better to be oblivious to Sakura's true opinions of him, if she even harboured any at all, than to confront painful reality. He wondered if she had even noticed how she captured his attention whenever she breezed into a room he occupied. She was so fair and lovely, the very personification of springtime.

Ino had certainly noticed his staring, he thought miserably. That was why he was in his current predicament to begin with.

His heart leapt in his chest as Sai came to a sudden halt before him. "I have located Sakura," he informed Toru. "Two o'clock, at a distance of five minutes."

Toru stared at him in confusion. Why was Sai mentioning the time, and the wrong one at that? He wasn't familiar with ninja jargon. When the dark-haired shinobi turned expectantly to him, and acknowledged the blank look on the unfortunate stranger's face, he gestured to one of his ink creations.

"It will lead you to her."

Toru wanted to do nothing more than to turn and run as far away as he could. But he didn't doubt that Ino would land him in a great deal of trouble if he acted upon his understandable impulse. Sighing heavily in defeat and shaking his head, he trailed obediently after the ink rat.

* * *

Following on from his brief encounter with Sasuke, Lee had rendezvoused with Ino at the designated meeting point behind a particularly grand horse chestnut tree.

"Well?" Ino questioned, soft blue eyes mirroring her impatient anticipation.

Lee stared at her for a long moment, still wholly uncertain as to the logic behind his assigned mission. "I located Sasuke," he informed her.

Ino leaned forward. _"And?" _she prodded breathlessly.

"And Sakura-san was not accompanying him," Lee replied.

Ino clapped her hands together in delight. "That must mean she hasn't located him yet. Perfect! We still have some time!" She whirled around, before spinning back to Lee abruptly, her flying golden tresses whipping him in the face and causing him to splutter in protest as she did so.

"Oh! The most important part! What did Sasuke-kun do?"

"What did Sasuke do?" Lee echoed blankly.

Ino rolled her eyes in exasperation. "What did Sasuke-kun do when he saw you looking for Sakura?"

"Nothing," Lee said. It was the truth; Sasuke hadn't actually _done_ anything he wouldn't usually do; he'd worn the same nonchalant look that had edged on a scowl upon seeing him, but Lee was used to receiving that kind of hospitality from the stoic Uchiha.

"Nothing?" Ino repeated. "He didn't say _anything_ to you?"

Lee rested his chin thoughtfully atop a fist. What had Sasuke said to him exactly? He couldn't recall much from their short exchange. Ino was ready to pull her lovely hair out in frustration as Lee's contemplative silence dragged on, when Konoha's Green Beast perked up in sudden recollection.

"Ah! That was is! I believe he told me to "get lost"!"

A small, conniving smile began to work its way onto Ino's rosy lips. "How?" she pounced. "How did he say it? Was he annoyed?"

Lee let out a dejected sigh. "Sasuke is always so discourteous to me, when I have nothing but respect for him-" he broke off, for Ino had grabbed onto his arm and was shaking him excitedly.

"Don't you _see_, Lee? Don't you see why?"

Poor Lee couldn't see much from the aggressive way Ino was shaking him.

"He considers you a threat! Of course he does! He's noticed the way you pay Sakura attention and he doesn't like it!" She released a high-pitched squeal of laughter. "Oh, this is so perfect!"

"What? Ino-san, I don't quite follow-" Lee's world was spinning by the time the kunoichi relinquished her grip on him.

"You're his rival!" Ino exclaimed.

"Ah- n-no, I think you are confused, because that would be Naruto-"

"Naruto's just his rival in the battlefield. You," Ino jabbed her index finger into Lee's chest, "are his rival in love!"

Lee stared at her with his odd eyes. His thick eyebrows scrunched together as he processed her words, before rising animatedly. "His rival in love? But- that would mean-"

"Exactly!" Ino grinned. "He knows you have a chance at stealing Sakura out from right under his nose," she tapped her own little nose pointedly as she said this, before finishing, "and that's why he's always so defensive around you!"

Lee shook his head in confusion. Sasuke surely didn't feel that way toward Sakura, did he? Lee desperately hoped not, because then he really wouldn't stand a chance. "She is Sasuke's teammate. He doesn't hold the Passion of Youth for Sakura-san in his heart. Not like I do," he sighed wistfully, shoulders slumping. "What must I do to make her acknowledge me? I've already done one hundred press-ups a day for one hundred days, two hundred and fifty seven laps around Konoha in a week…am I not youthful enough?"

Ino bit her lower lip, manipulative mind already bounding ten steps ahead. But the plan that had progressively presented itself to her while Lee had been uttering his sorrowful little speech was a cruel one that would require Lee to partake in a scenario that could very well end up with him hurt, depending on how an unstable Sasuke reacted.

_For Sakura_, Ino thought, dismissing the fleeting guilt she'd experienced for a fraction of a moment. For every great cause, sacrifices had to be made, and Lee had to be one of them, because how he felt toward Sakura made him perfect for the job.

"Lee," Ino began in an innocent tone of voice, to which the dark-haired young shinobi was unfortunately oblivious. "What if I told you that there's a definite way to get Sakura to notice you…?"

Lee met her eyes directly and blinked.

* * *

Sasuke kicked a stray stone aside. The path he'd chosen had finally led him back to one of the more open, central streets in the village, and as he stepped onto it, his body tensed at the sound of a familiar, feminine voice calling his name.

"Sasuke-kun!"

His eyes, which had been following the lines of the cobbled stones beneath his feet, rose to find Sakura jogging toward him. He stopped, hands stuffed in pockets, as she joined him, a little breathless from exertion.

"I've been searching _everywhere_ for you!" she exclaimed, greatly relieved to find that he hadn't returned to his apartment after all. "I thought you'd gone home already," she let out a nervous little laugh, and Sasuke didn't miss the way she seemed to deliberately avoid his gaze. "I thought I was in trouble for a moment- if Tsunade-shishou found out I'd lost tabs on you she'd-"

Sasuke began to walk forward again, not waiting for her to finish. Sakura's voice trailed off, and she looked sadly after him. How like Sasuke to completely and effortlessly destroy all the progress she and Naruto had believed they'd been making prior to the disastrous events that had unfolded that day.

"I-I guess we should head back now," she said softly, following dutifully after him. She didn't expect a response and wasn't surprised when Sasuke offered none. They walked in silence for a while, and Sakura chewed unhappily on her lower lip the whole way. Talking with Sasuke about nothing in particular had always come so easily to her in the past. Why couldn't she summon any words now? Why was she so hesitant, and almost disinclined, to start a conversation? She'd never had a problem with him ignoring her before.

That was the precise issue, Sakura knew. Before she had been a child, and blinded by childish infatuation. She'd been full of boundless optimism that Sasuke would, someday, somehow, come around and return her interest. Her older, wiser self didn't share such optimism. Now every rebuff, every harsh rebuke, every stony silence Sasuke directed at her cut at her very core, crushed her pride and self-esteem.

Sasuke cared for her as a teammate and a friend at most. That was all. She had to get the reality through her thick skull, sooner rather than later, for choosing to wait for an unyielding Sasuke would bring her nothing but heartache.

She trudged slowly after the reticent young Uchiha, her petite shoulders hunched up in a way that openly betrayed her inner insecurity when walking in the shadow of an unreceptive, unreachable Sasuke.

* * *

Toru's breath caught sharply in his throat as he rounded the corner of the alleyway. Just up ahead, walking away from him was the familiar, unmistakable form of Haruno Sakura. The sight of her caused instant panic to explode within him and he hesitated, fingers tightening worriedly around the flowers. Maybe he didn't have to do this. Maybe he didn't care if he got in trouble. Maybe Ino was bluffing and he was about to make a fool of himself for no reason whatsoever. Maybe she wouldn't even find out that he hadn't done as she'd ordered.

A tiny squeak at his feet notified him that Sai's ink creation was still by his side. Any hopes of Ino not finding out were promptly squashed. Toru looked back toward Sakura, growing farther and farther away. He wasn't usually the particularly shy type, but when it came to Sakura he lost the ability to string a coherent sentence together. What chance did a loser like him have of wooing one of the most well-known and desirable young kunoichi in the village?

_No chance if you stand around so pathetically_, Toru silently censured to his inner coward. What was the worst that could happen? Sakura was a kind and compassionate soul; the fact that she had chosen to specialise in saving lives was testament to that truth. It wasn't like he didn't have a reason to approach her; Ino had armed him with one. All he had to do was hand the Hokage's apprentice the stupid flowers, and then he'd be on his way. He could go back home and drown his misery out with a bottle of sake.

Heart pounding, he stepped forward.

* * *

Sakura had resorted to counting the number of steps it would take to reach Sasuke's apartment, to snuff out the tiny voice that pleaded with her to say _something_, anything, to Sasuke.

_Fifty seven, fifty eight, fifty nine, sixty, sixty one…_

"Sakura-san!"

She blinked at the sound of her name being called by a familiar voice that she couldn't immediately place. Turning, she was astonished to find the young trainee doctor who sometimes shared shifts with her from the hospital, approaching her at a rapid pace. When he finally reached her, he stood with an arm behind his back and offered her a rather nervous smile.

"H-hi," he greeted. His heart almost leapt out of his chest when she offered him a beautiful, genuine smile in return.

Toru, Sakura recalled his name, was an intelligent, hard-working young man, who was eager to pick up on knowledge. She'd sometimes spotted him in Konoha's recently expanded library, brushing up on his medical know-how.

"Toru-san," she said, tilting her head curiously at him. It was a surprise to see him, although not an entirely unwelcome one. He'd always seemed like a pleasant sort of person from the brief exchanges they'd shared over patients. A quick glance back over her shoulder notified her that Sasuke had stopped; his dark head was angled their way.

Toru knew he was openly gawking at Sakura. He couldn't help it; she was utterly gorgeous. When she turned her attention back to him, still smiling, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Uh, s-so, I heard that you missed out on being crowned winner of the Ribbon Race today," he said, parroting what he'd heard some nurses mention just an hour earlier.

"Oh," Sakura shrugged dismissively, inwardly wincing at the reminder of the madness she'd partaken in. "It's just a silly race."

"R-right," Toru agreed. He couldn't believe that he was actually holding some semblance of a conversation with her when his heart was pounding so hard that he was sure it was about to burst at any moment.

"Did you have a late shift today?" Sakura asked next, thrilling him by appearing genuinely interested. He was so engrossed in every word she was uttering and the way her face conveyed such expression as she spoke, that he failed to notice that he had now become the exclusive focus of the tall, dark-haired shinobi who was standing in the distance.

The brown-haired youth who had approached Sakura was unfamiliar to Sasuke, but his teammate obviously knew him. How well acquainted were they? It didn't matter to him anyway, thought Sasuke dismissively. The young Uchiha reasoned that the bespectacled fellow was likely just a colleague from the hospital; the guy certainly didn't have the posture and bearings of a ninja. He noted the odd way the stranger stood, with an arm behind his back, as if he were hiding something from view.

Sasuke stood hinged upon the scales of indecision; he knew the correct, _polite_, thing to do would be to turn around and continue walking slowly along his way, so that Sakura could catch up to him in her own time. But Sasuke had never been one for impeccable politeness; that had always been one of Itachi's strengths.

The fleeting thought of his older brother again made his already foul mood darken considerably. What he really wanted to do was flash-step home without anybody accompanying him, but he knew it would land both Sakura and Naruto in trouble, and for all his inexplicable irritation, particularly with Sakura today, he certainly didn't want either of them to be punished on his behalf.

Another, more annoying part of him hesitated at the thought of leaving Sakura alone with the sharp-featured stranger. Surely it wouldn't be right to depart when he didn't even know what the brown-haired young man was holding behind his back… What was taking Sakura so long anyway? What could they possibly be discussing?

"I, uh, got side-tracked on my way home," Toru was saying to Sakura. A furious blush spread across his cheeks as he sensed the time for taking the plunge and producing the flowers to Sakura was rapidly approaching. He suddenly wished that Ino had at least given him proper, respectable flowers, but it was too late to rue that fact now. "A-actually, Sakura-san, I wanted to, uh, well, I wanted to…"

He'd looked up at her, and suddenly noticed the lone figure that was standing ahead. From its distance, Toru couldn't make out who it was; a fellow ninja, perhaps? His eyes shifted nervously back to Sakura's bright, expectant, apple-green ones. They were so pretty, framed by lashes that seemed to tangle in places from their length.

He cleared his throat, before blurting, "I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day. You know," he paused, as Sakura directed an oblivious look at him. "Uh, the paperwork you sorted…yeah, I sort of, w-well I kind of had a lot to work with and might've mixed it up a little…" he offered her a strained little smile that manifested itself in the form of something more akin to a wince. Sakura stared at him for a long, awkward moment, before understanding finally dawned on her features.

"Oh! That was you? Haha!" she waved a hand dismissively. "That's alright, I mean, everybody makes mistakes don't they? Especially hospital staff, we're so overworked!"

Sasuke shifted his weight impatiently on his feet. Was Sakura coming or not? Irked at the time she was taking, he glared more pointedly at the brown-haired stranger. But it was no use; the bespectacled young man looked fully engrossed in his conversation with Sakura and obviously couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Sasuke didn't like the way he was staring at the medic-nin. He looked a little too absorbed.

A little _too_ interested.

Toru felt some of the tension leave his shoulders at the pastel-haired healer's kind, empathising words. "Right- heh, yeah, I guess I had lots of cases going on and I had a little brain-lapse there."

Sakura thought that was completely understandable given the frequency of her own brain-lapses around Sasuke that day.

"Uh, w-well, anyway, so, you really helped me out then and I- well, I just wanted to say thanks-"

"Please, it was nothing!" Sakura smiled, thinking how awfully sweet and well-mannered the young trainee was to take the trouble to seek her out and thank her out of hours. "I just-" she broke off abruptly, for Toru had moved the arm he'd been hiding curiously behind him. Sakura stared in open mouthed surprise as he held out a collection of what seemed to be common lawn flowers.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, raising her left hand to her cheek.

"_Theseareforyou_," Toru explained hurriedly, words tumbling over one another. "I uh, I didn't have time to buy some proper ones s-so, uh, w-well, you get the point, I hope…?"

From the distance he was standing behind her, Sasuke straightened, his eyes narrowing marginally at the sight that met them. The brown-haired _loser_ was offering Sakura what looked like a pathetic collection of weeds. What in the world was going on? A dark, burning feeling was slowly brewing to life in his chest, but Sasuke didn't acknowledge it as anything other than profound annoyance.

"Sakura," he called smoothly to her, in a tone that was perfectly level and expected her to comply with his unspoken demand for her to get moving. He didn't need to raise his voice for her to hear his words. She threw a nervous glance back over her shoulder at him.

"Y-yeah, just a second, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke was _not_ impressed. Since when did Sakura keep him waiting? It had always been the other way around, and he didn't like it. In fact, he was all at once overwhelmed by a nagging, inexplicable need to know exactly what it was they were discussing. What was so important that he would be kept waiting? He was walking forward before he could reconsider, reasoning that he would just tell Sakura to hurry up when he reached her.

_Sasuke-kun?_ As in, _Uchiha _Sasuke? Toru, who had been blushing feverishly, now blanched considerably. His poor nerves jangled with growing apprehension as the tall, commanding form of the young Uchiha began to stalk forward, drawing closer to them with every surely placed step.

"Toru-san, that's really…" Sakura struggled to find the correct words. "That's really, really nice of you! I-I mean, there was really no need-"

"Uh, y-yeah, there was, believe me," Toru muttered, eyes darting anxiously back to the rapidly approaching Sasuke. "Please accept them," _So I can go home and just forget about this complete and utter humiliation, _he silently added.

_Sakura, you idiot, who cares if he probably picked them from the lawn right outside the hospital, just take the flowers! _Sakura mentally berated herself, and blushing, reached out, accepting the chaotically arranged mass of flora. It didn't matter that it was the most pathetic-looking excuse of a bouquet she had ever seen; it was the thought that counted.

Toru let out his breath in relief. There. His job was done. He didn't need to stick around and say anything else to Sakura, but he'd noted the charming shade of pink that had blossomed to life on her cheeks and a small, tiny part of him was suddenly full of foolish young hope.

He had no idea of knowing that his decision to act on impulse would further ignite the displeasure of the last of the Uchiha clan, who was already peeved by the charade that was carrying on before his very eyes.

"Uh- y-you know the new ward's opening soon, r-right?" Toru said. Sasuke had reached them, and now stood behind Sakura. The manner in which he was staring at Toru, in frosty silence, unnerved the poor junior doctor even more than talking to Sakura did. He tried to keep his gaze focused on the kunoichi as he verbalised his offer, but his eyes kept darting nervously to an intimidating-looking Sasuke.

"I-I w-was wondering if you'd, uh, y'know, like- I could show you around- s-sometime- on the day it opens, I mean," he swallowed at the way Sasuke's eyes seemed to narrow fractionally at that, before finishing, "i-if you'd like that, S-Sakura-san."

Sakura had noticed the way Toru's eyes had been jumping erratically from her face, to the person standing behind her. She could feel Sasuke's distinctive chakra signature, rolling heavily like a smothering thundercloud, and with a hostility that set prickles of unease spiking through her body. She stood, tense and rigid, feeling horribly sorry for Toru, and a little cross with Sasuke. Whether he intended to or not, Sakura hadn't missed the way he seemed to terrorise the life out of any guy who innocently chose to engage her in conversation. Just what, exactly, was his problem?

She offered Toru her brightest smile, and noticed how he seemed to perk up at it. Suddenly her mind was jumping to silly conclusions; did Toru actually like her? Or was he just being polite?

"That'd be nice," she replied. "I've been bothering Ino about seeing it for a while now, I can't wait until it opens. Just two more days!"

She didn't notice the way Toru stiffened at the mention of the blonde kunoichi's name. He added, as a brave afterthought, "Th-then maybe we can go together to the grand opening, since the Hokage herself is going to do the honours-"

"She has a mission," Sasuke cut in bitingly, stepping up to stand beside Sakura, completely shattering the hope that had been cresting in Toru's heart.

Sakura twisted her head to gape openly at Sasuke. Of course, he was right; she'd almost completely forgotten that she'd be out of the village on medical duty in two days; but it was the fact that Sasuke had chosen to articulate it that astonished her.

"O-oh- w-well," Toru deflated, and actually took a step back, as if Sasuke had threatened to punch him in the face if he didn't. "Th-that's too bad. I-I guess- I guess we could- I'll just show you when- when you get back."

"That'd be great," Sakura replied kindly, but she was inwardly furious at Sasuke for interfering. It wasn't like him to do so. She shot an accusing look at him, which to her dismay, was completely overlooked.

"I-uh, I guess I'd better g-get going, then," Toru stammered. The stark, warning look in Sasuke's eyes suggested that he wholeheartedly agreed. The trainee doctor bowed politely in parting, "Good evening Sakura-san…U-Uchiha-san," with that, he began to retreat, taking quick, nervous steps backward.

"Thank you for the flowers!" Sakura called, waving after him. The poor youth almost tripped up over his own two feet as he waved back, before turning to dash hastily out of sight.

Sasuke felt the beginnings of a disdainful sneer tugging at one corner of his lips. He promptly obliterated it, replacing it with his default, nonchalant expression, and turned his back, satisfied that Sakura would now follow after him. After a brief pause, he heard the heels of her sandals clattering on the cobbled ground as she jogged to catch up to him.

"Sasuke-kun, why did you do that?" she demanded. She felt awful; Toru had obviously wanted to speak further, but Sasuke had decided that they'd spoken enough. What gave him the right to dictate that?

Sasuke blinked. "I did nothing," he replied flatly.

"Toru-san was just being nice, and you- you scared him off! He works with me at the hospital; it's not like he's a stranger!"

Sasuke didn't want to hear about how nice this 'Toru-san' was, or the justifications Sakura was offering about the outsider. The former nukenin came to an abrupt halt, nearly causing her to collide into him. Whipping his head around to direct an irate glare at her, he bit out acidly, "Have you forgotten, Sakura? I have a _curfew._" He uttered the final word with great emphasis, disgust dripping like deadly venom in his voice.

Sakura stared up at him with wide eyes, and he held her gaze for a brief moment, before spinning on his heel and continuing casually along his way, as if the little outburst hadn't happened at all. He seemed so furious, but why? Sakura was at an utter loss to explain the foulness of his mood, and raised her hands imploringly.

"But Sasuke-kun-" she broke off suddenly, for something had caught her eye; something bright and fat and markedly _not_ flower-like. Crawling on the head of one of the white daisies was a huge, colourful bug. She screeched in alarm, and Sasuke turned back instantly, to find her waving the clump of flowers around in a desperate attempt to displace the insect.

"Eww, yuck, a bug, a bug!" she cried. Puffing out a breath in quiet exasperation, Sasuke reached out and swiftly snatched the pitiful excuse of a bouquet from her grasp. Sakura watched incredulously as he walked straight up to a small, public rubbish bin close by and promptly tossed the collection of flowers into it. Her jaw dropped as he shoved his hand back in his pocket and continued indifferently along the road. The medical kunoichi stood gaping after him, lips floundering like a fish, as she tried in vain to form the words on the tip of her tongue.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" she eventually spluttered. "It was just a bug! Why did you throw all the flowers away?" She was quite distraught at losing the flowers; they symbolised a sweet, thoughtful gesture, and being terribly sentimental, Sakura had actually planned on putting them in a vase when she returned home. That was until her raven-haired team-mate had decided it wasn't going to happen.

"They were weeds," Sasuke retorted frigidly, wholly unsympathetic to her open dismay. Sakura's jaw hung lower as she stared helplessly after him. Finally, she snapped out of her state of stupor and followed, calling bewilderedly after him.

"Sasuke-kun, wait! _Sasuke-kun!_"

* * *

Behind the safe retreat offered by a tree, Ino was hopping up and down excitedly after witnessing the scene that had just unfolded before her. The scenario had worked out even better than she'd anticipated, and for a moment she'd held her breath fearfully, certain that Sasuke had been ready to break Toru's glasses. But although the Uchiha hadn't physically confronted the trainee doctor, his body language had been threatening and the way he'd taken his place by Sakura's side had screamed possession to Ino. The blonde kunoichi released a delighted little squeal. The foundations were definitely there, and plain to see. Sasuke cared for Sakura. He clearly didn't like other men approaching her. Sakura loved Sasuke, despite what she claimed. The only thing the explosive equation was lacking was Sasuke realising the depth of his feelings for the pastel-haired medic-nin. Their reaction required a catalyst. And Ino had always loved being the mover and shaker of situations.

She turned her attention back to the two dark-haired shinobi who'd been spying with her.

"What is our next course of action?" Sai questioned.

"Do I get to prove myself to Sakura-san now?" Lee blinked.

"Patience is a virtue!" Ino hummed. Throwing countless admirers into Sakura's path was perhaps effective in irritating Sasuke at most, but Ino knew that he'd effortlessly succeed in intimidating them away each time. She needed a more physical plan, something that would require Sasuke to actually touch Sakura. What better way to get him to come to terms with the reality that he was physically attracted to her?

"Alright you two, here's the plan. Watching from the side-lines is so boring, so we're going to mix it up a bit! Ooh, this'll be so much fun!" she grinned.

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" a new voice droned wearily from behind her. Ino gasped, and whirled around to find none other than Shikamaru, standing with his hands in his pockets, and an extremely wary expression on his face.

"Shikamaru!" she exclaimed, caught off-guard. She'd been so engrossed in her scheming that she hadn't picked up on his familiar chakra signature. "What are you doing here?"

The Nara genius cast a critical eye over Sai and Lee, before returning his gaze to Ino. He'd stayed at Ichiraku's for a while, and watched Naruto and Chouji battle it out for the title of who could eat the most (Shikamaru had thought it was pretty obvious that it was one battle Naruto would definitely lose), before rising to find his meddling girlfriend. "Making sure you don't do anything troublesome. Sasuke isn't one to mess around with, Ino."

"We're not messing him around," Ino defended. "Well," she added, as an afterthought, "Not much."

"Ino…" Shikamaru sighed. "You should let them deal with their issues in private."

"What!" Ino screeched in response. "If I did that, they'd never get together!"

"Perhaps they aren't meant to be," Shikamaru replied, not holding much hope that he could actually convince his girlfriend to drop the matter. After all, Ino was renowned for being outrageously stubborn.

"You don't really think that!" Ino argued.

Shikamaru didn't, but that was beside the point. A memory from long ago echoed in his mind, a small, private exchange he'd witnessed between Sasuke and Sakura back when they had been Genin, in which Sasuke had given, intentionally or not, a degree of verbal precedence to Sakura.

"_I can't forgive even you if you take that away from me."_

It was Sasuke's inclusion of 'even you' that had caught Shikamaru's notice at the time. On his subsequent observations of the two interacting, he had been convinced of how protective Sasuke was toward his delicate teammate. But how far those feelings of camaraderie had run exactly, he couldn't tell. Sasuke was a notoriously difficult individual to decipher.

They were older and wiser now, and while it was still plain for Shikamaru to see that Sasuke did indeed care for Sakura, he wasn't comfortable with the idea of pushing the two together. Who knew how Sasuke would react? Besides, with Ino's involvement, things had the potential of going disastrously wrong, and Shikamaru didn't want to see Sakura emotionally hurt. He didn't much like the thought of trying to keep a murderous Sasuke at bay once he found out who'd orchestrated the entire idea, either.

He placed his hands onto Ino's slender shoulders, looking her straight in the eye as he did so. "Ino," he said to her, and she grew quiet at the seriousness of his tone. "Think carefully about what you're doing. Think carefully about how this might affect Sakura if things don't go according to plan."

Ino's eyes lowered, and Shikamaru held his breath as a look of sadness washed over her face.

"I know walking away is the sensible thing to do," she said softly. "But I can't give up on Sakura. She's my best friend." Her golden lashes swept up, fixing her boyfriend with a determined stare. "I won't abandon her when she needs my help! Someone's got to make Sasuke-kun realise how much Sakura really means to him, and since she can't do it, then what's stopping us? And if it doesn't work, I'll own up to everything, and even though Sakura will probably never speak to me again, I-" her voice cracked with emotion for a brief second, before she finished angrily, "I'll at least know that I tried!"

Shikamaru released a heavy sigh. "You women are so troublesome."

Ino gripped onto his arms. "Shika-kun, we'll stand a better chance at succeeding if you help us."

Shikamaru withdrew his hands from her shoulders. "No, Ino. I told you, Sasuke is-"

"Sasuke's smart, sure, but so are you. You're Shikamaru of the Nara clan, a genius in your own right! You can make this work! You want to see them as happy as we are, don't you?"

Shikamaru shook his head. But Ino could see the waver of hesitation now flickering in his gaze.

"If you walk away now, I might do something really stupid," she said, blinking pointedly up at him.

Her boyfriend grumbled in frustration. Ino had a point; who could tell what kind of mischief she would get herself, and poor Lee and Sai into? If he accompanied them, he would at least have a measure of control as to how foolish and reckless he allowed the plans to get.

"Fine, fine!" he sighed in defeat, earning a squeal from his girlfriend, who proceeded to reward him by throwing her arms gleefully around his neck. The things he did for her. As she pulled back, grinning artfully, he rolled his eyes in exasperation. Why did he have the feeling it was going to be a long evening?

"Welcome to Operation Love," Sai said, and Shikamaru thought that only Sai could say it so seriously, and with complete obliviousness of what the silly title connoted.

"Well?" The Nara genius cast his lazy gaze back to Ino. "What did you have in mind?"

**Author's Note**

_Phew, a long chapter! Things are finally picking up people! Next chapter will be full of all kinds of mischief, with Shikamaru and his handy abilities now on board. All I can say is poor Sasuke and Sakura. I'm really going to give them a hard time in chapter 11, mwahaha! Hope everyone enjoyed this update, it's just a little starter; the SasuSaku pendulum really starts swinging in the next one!_

_I'd like to wish each and every one of my readers a Happy Christmas. Be safe and merry and enjoy the winter festivities everyone! And if you read this on your way out, please leave me a review. Consider it a small xmas pressie for me xD Thanks for reading everybody! : D _


	11. Protection

_Another update! I'm on a roll here people, believe it! xD I have so many reviews to respond to, and I'll try to do my utmost to reply to them all at some point. I'll probably be really late in doing so, but just hang in there everyone! I'd like to once again extend a general thank you to everyone for leaving their thoughts on the previous chapter, particularly the silent readers who kindly chipped in their feedback! I'd also like to welcome all the new reviewers on board; I hope you'll continue enjoying what's left of the story! To all the regular reviewers, you're all as fabulous as ever! : )_

_A special mention to the reviewer Unisawr, who I desperately want to contact but who enigmatically doesn't leave any details behind! I absolutely love reading your long reviews, so thank you! To the other readers who leave unsigned reviews too, please consider logging in if you have an account or leaving email addresses so I can get back to you to express my appreciation!_

_Now enough from me; it's time to set the SasuSaku ball spinning out of control. Mwahaha! _

**Chapter XI: Protection**

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* * *

_

_.'Flashback"'_

_**

* * *

**_

Sakura was beginning to think that she'd surely trawled the entire expanse of Konohagakure when she finally located Naruto. Her teammate was perched on one of the towering wooden posts that overlooked the village, providing a vast overview of the surrounding area. She was tempted to knock him off his centre of balance, but as she shaded her eyes from the glare of the afternoon sun she caught sight of the focused, absorbed look on Naruto's tan face. He seemed to be looking out at something in the distance. Overcome with curiosity, Sakura charged chakra into her legs and ran fluidly up the shaft of a neighbouring pole, before hopping nimbly to the top. Naruto was so fixed on his point of interest that he nearly lost his footing when she called out to him.

"Naruto! Have you been hiding here all morning?" she demanded.

"Gah! S-Sakura-chan! I didn't hear you come up!"

"Staying up here isn't going to pay the money you owe Ichiraku's for last night's meal, you know!" Sakura censured.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Heh, I was kind of hoping they'd let that one slide-" he broke off at the threatening look Sakura threw his way, before hastily amending, "I-I mean, I'll go pay it right after this!"

This earned an exasperated sigh from the pink-haired kunoichi. "Geez, Naruto," she shook her head, before averting her gaze in the direction that he'd been staring. "What are you doing up here anyway?"

All remnants of amusement punctually vanished from the Kyuubi vessel's face and Sakura quietened at the uncharacteristically sullen expression that settled in its stead. "They're everywhere, Sakura-chan. The ANBU; I've seen at least ten of them stationed around his apartment." His hands tightened into angry fists. "It's not fair," he added heatedly. "Sasuke's not a threat anymore."

He was oblivious to the way Sakura stiffened at the mention of their newly reinstated team member. Sasuke had only been back in the village for three weeks, and although they were thrilled to have him amongst them again, neither Sakura nor Naruto had anticipated how awkward the readjustment period would prove to be for them all. Blinded by the sheer exhilaration at getting their old teammate back, they'd overlooked the fragility of Sasuke's situation and had foolishly believed that everything would fall smoothly into place and return to how it had been in the past.

The disheartening reality that'd rapidly presented itself to them after the initial jubilation had worn off had been a harsh wake-up call. Sasuke exhibited nothing but disinterest toward them; he completely ignored and dismissed Naruto's attempts to draw him into friendly banter and had scarcely spoken a word to Sakura since his arrival. He was constantly monitored by what seemed to Naruto to be an entire cell of elite ANBU ninja; not a single step the raven-haired shinobi took was lost on them. Sasuke hardly ventured out of his apartment anyway, and Naruto was growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress they were making with the stoic Uchiha. Sasuke was so close to them, and yet even more unreachable than ever before. He had done nothing except shut them out and shun them since his return.

When Sakura remained silent, Naruto glanced across at her. "Sakura-chan? Want to pay Sasuke a visit with me? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you too-"

"Yeah right, Naruto!" Sakura interjected, more snappily than she'd intended. In a mutter, she added, "He's made it clear he wants nothing to do with either of us."

A glint of determination flickered in Naruto's brilliant blue eyes. "And that's it? We finally get him back, and we just give up, just like that?"

Sakura stared guiltily at her little toes, peeking out from her nin-boots. She hadn't known what she'd been expecting when they'd escorted Sasuke back to the village along with Kakashi; however, she hadn't been prepared for the cold shoulder he'd given them all. "I'm out of ideas, Naruto. He needs time to recover from everything. I don't think he wants to see us right now." _I know he doesn't want to see me_, she silently added, feeling a terrible heaviness deep within her chest.

She missed the way the corners of Naruto's lips turned down sadly for a brief moment. He was still quite the knucklehead ninja, but even he had noticed the profound tension that existed between Sasuke and Sakura. At least Sasuke uttered a few sharp, condescending words his way; with Sakura it was just a deafening, maddening silence. Naruto had witnessed the way it affected his pastel-haired teammate, draining her of her natural optimism and leaving her downhearted; he wanted to do nothing more than punch Sasuke in the face for being even crueller than he'd ever been as a Genin. Yet he understood Sasuke's pain all too well; perhaps he was being too selfish. Perhaps Sakura was right, and Sasuke simply needed time away from them to mend. But Naruto wasn't the patient sort, especially when it came to his best friend, and he couldn't stand the thought of leaving Sasuke to his own devices for even the space of twenty four hours. He felt the need to do something to salvage some semblance of reconciliation.

"He needs our help, Sakura-chan," said Naruto. "I can't do it on my own!"

Sakura looked away. She knew this was hard for Naruto too, but a selfish part of her argued that he couldn't possible know just how punishing Sasuke's unresponsive behaviour had been on her own feelings in particular. He acted like she wasn't even there. It was a hail back to their early Genin days, only magnified a thousand times worse. She was convinced that he now hated her. What other explanation was there to account for his complete refusal to acknowledge her with his eyes? He always looked at Naruto; she didn't exist.

Without warning, Naruto hopped off his beam and landed perfectly on the dusty ground far below. Sakura, hesitant, remained stationary on her post. When Naruto picked up a small basket full of red items – apples or tomatoes – Sakura couldn't tell which at her distance – and waved it around emphatically, she released a heavy sigh. Naruto knew that she didn't truly have it in her heart to abandon Sasuke, and was exploiting the fact. She bitterly rued how ironic it all was; the energetic shinobi possessed the ability to be rather cunning when he felt like it; unfortunately for Sakura, though, he just chose to apply it at all the wrong moments.

She joined him on the ground. The basket was full of plump, juicy tomatoes, which they both knew were Sasuke's favourite fruit. Eying it warily, Sakura voiced her misgivings.

"He'll just refuse them like he has everything else you've taken to him."

She started at the small, devious smile that worked its way on her friend's good-looking face. "What?" she finally dared to ask, her insides suddenly wrought with great dread.

"I'm not taking them this time. You are, Sakura-chan." At the final word in this statement, Naruto tossed the basket at her and simultaneously flickered out of sight. Sakura caught it out of well-trained instinct, her jaw dropping in disbelief.

_Why that- that sneaky, conniving little-_

"Naruto!" she screeched furiously after him, earning a few startled glances from passing villagers. She knew better than to attempt to find him; he was faster than her, and was probably laughing over his cheeky actions with Kiba and Shikamaru at that very moment. Sakura had two choices; to take the tomatoes home to her surprised mother, or to drop them by Sasuke's place.

She recalled that her mother had been shopping for food supplies just earlier that morning. There wouldn't be room in their fridge for extra tomatoes. Releasing a groan of dismay, and promising to book a hospital bed with Naruto's name on it as soon as she was done, a grumbling Sakura began to make the short journey toward Sasuke's apartment.

By the time she reached it, her heart was hammering with fear and dread and uncertainty and all the other maddening emotions the last of the Uchiha was able to incite so effortlessly in her. She froze before his front door, gripped by a wave of anxiety. She couldn't get one of her hands to relinquish its tight hold on the basket handle, to raise it and knock to signal her presence. Then she reasoned that there was no need to wait around; she could just hand the basket over to one of the many ANBU guards whose gazes she could feel burning into her back, or equally as appealingly, set the basket down, knock, and then make a hasty run for it. She was just settling on the best course of action when the door abruptly swung open to reveal a devastatingly handsome, brooding Sasuke. Their eyes instantly connected for the first time in weeks, and Sakura felt like she'd been struck by a bolt of lightning.

His intense, obsidian depths were smouldering, ensnaring her in a heavy gaze that was darker than midnight. Sakura couldn't look away. Her lips had parted to form an 'O' of astonishment, but she couldn't form any coherent words. Her brain had whirred to a mind-numbing, humiliating stop.

The spell seemed to break the instant Sasuke's eyes slipped away from hers, as he examined the contents of her basket.

"U-umm, h-hello, Sasuke-kun," she finally managed. She was certain that her cheeks were blazing as red as the tomatoes on display. "These are f-for you."

As if it wasn't bad enough that she was blushing something fierce, Sasuke probably thought she'd become incompetent at speaking too. Why couldn't she compose herself? When Sasuke's penetrating eyes slid up to her face again and he remained callously silent, she wished a hole would appear in the ground to swallow her up.

"I-I'll just leave them here for you," Sakura bumbled, setting the basket down before him and stepping away from it as if it - and Sasuke - were bombs about to detonate. "I-uh-see you," she added hastily, before turning her back and rushing away. She could feel his heavy gaze piercing after her for a moment, but by the time she reached the corner of the street that would remove her from his probing eyes, she felt nothing other than the watching stares of the ANBU. Chancing a nervous glance back over her shoulder, she found that Sasuke's front door had closed once again.

Her heart fluttered when she saw that the tomato basket had vanished.

* * *

_.'End/Flashback"'_

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* * *

_

_Twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty…thirty…_

Reverting back to counting footsteps had initially seemed like a good idea, but Sakura had soon realised that it only served as a futile attempt at distracting herself from her troubled thoughts. She'd already mixed up and lost track of the numbers on more than one occasion.

_Thirty five, thirty six…wait, is that even right…? Thirty-thirty three-no-thirty five… oh, I give up!_ She glared heatedly at Sasuke's back. Why had he thrown the damned flowers away? Sure, they'd been a shoddy and unquestionably deplorable little collection, but it wasn't like she was offered flowers, even lawn-picked ones, on a regular basis! For just a fraction of a moment, she'd felt flattered, and just a little bit special. What right, she inwardly fumed, as they rounded the corner of a bakery shop and into another side alleyway, did Sasuke have to take that away from her?

With his hands stuffed casually in his pockets and his shoulders set as squarely as ever, the young Uchiha painted the picture of natural confidence. How Sakura envied his ability to radiate effortless poise. The memories of Sasuke coming undone, of Sasuke losing his composure, seemed almost to belong to a dream sequence now. Yet it had been very real, and just over a year when she'd witnessed his fall from grace, his sanity compromised thanks to the poisonous, twisted truths Madara had fed him. How could she ever forget that distressing time? She'd almost lost her life in the midst of it.

So absorbed was Sakura in her thoughts that she was barely conscious of the fact that her feet were now near stomping on the ground, in open betrayal of her inner protesting at Sasuke's less than chivalrous behaviour. Of all the kunoichi in her year of entry, why had she had the utter misfortune of falling into the same team as the most arrogant, apathetic, infuriating and _outrageously_ _gorgeous_ young shinobi there had surely ever been in the history of Konoha? It was bad enough that he hailed from one of the most prestigious, feared clans there was; did Sasuke have to go around parading the matter and intimidating all those he deemed inferior because of it?

_Sasuke-kun, you're-_ Sakura's mournful thought aborted when a sudden, forceful tug on her left leg prevented her from walking further.

"Eh?" she said, staring down at her motionless foot. She couldn't see anything apart from her own shadow on the ground. She shifted her right leg in an attempt to get her neighbouring limb to move, but even as she channelled a light stream of chakra through it, her foot remained immobile. Frowning in confusion, she looked up to find that Sasuke had almost reached the end of the alleyway. She placed her hands upon her thigh, trying to physically yank her leg free from its invisible shackle by force. When that didn't work, she called out helplessly to her raven-haired teammate.

"Sasuke-kun! I'm-I'm stuck!"

Sasuke tossed a glance back over his shoulder to find that Sakura had fallen quite a distance behind. What did she mean she was stuck? Wordlessly, he flickered out of sight and into swift existence before her, and Sakura was momentarily awestruck by the speed at which he'd moved. She'd hardly blinked in the time it had taken him to transport himself back to her side.

"I can't move my foot," she informed him, feeling extremely muddled and somewhat embarrassed under the scrutiny of his heavy gaze. Sasuke stared at her for a long moment, as if she'd just sprouted a pair of green tentacles, before shifting his attention to her stationary foot. "It's like it's super-glued…" Sakura attempted to explain.

_Super-glued…?_ Sasuke wasn't sure what was going on, but before his intelligent mind could even begin to decipher it, he sensed a slight pressure beneath the soles of his own sandals. When he tried to lift his feet, he was astonished to find that they remained motionless at his command.

"What?" he uttered under his breath, glancing back at a bewildered Sakura. They stared blankly at each other for a few seconds, when Sasuke scowled, and conducted a steady flow of chakra to his eyes, engaging his Sharingan. Before the tomoes of his blood limit could fully materialise however, he was distracted by the consciousness of a sudden shadow falling over his and Sakura's still forms. Sasuke tilted his head up, and Sakura's fearfully followed. Two pairs of eyes, one apple-green, the other bottomless black, widened at the sight that met them. A mass of oversized rocks was falling out of the sky, straight toward them.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screeched in alarm, reaching out automatically to him. But he wasn't standing close enough for her seeking fingers to grasp. What in the world was going on? Where had the rocks come from? She couldn't detect any other chakra signals nearby; it didn't help that Sasuke's potent energy seemed to encompass everything else.

"Damn!" Sasuke hissed, knowing he had to act fast if he wanted to save Sakura, and himself, from being crushed flat on the ground. Snapping swiftly out of his brief state of surprise, he channelled a stream of chakra into his right arm. The screech of blinding, blue-white lightning energy as it crackled to life in the form of his signature _Chidori _attack was deafening.

"_Chidori Nagashi!_" Angry tendrils of concentrated electricity snaked out, keeping carefully close to Sasuke's form and away from Sakura's. At his will the energy shot upward, expanding, and sliced through the falling rocks with the ease of a scorching knife through butter, reducing the dangerous masses into harmless pieces of debris, before ebbing out of existence. Sakura, who had shielded her head out of instinct, cracked an eye open and coughed to clear the dust her lungs had inhaled.

"What was that…?" she began, and caught her breath as she watched Sasuke's eyes bleed to crimson, his Sharingan now revealed in its entire glory. His gaze lowered to the ground to seek out the nature of the invisible force that had rendered both him and Sakura immobile, but he was once again caught off guard when Sakura suddenly stumbled forward, toward him. "I can move!" she informed him, and sure enough, Sasuke found, so could he.

What he saw on the ground was nothing unusual. Tilting his head up to regard the slanted roof of the building from which the rocks had seemingly appeared, Sasuke blurred out of sight and alighted silently atop the structure a moment later. His vigilant gaze trailed over the immediate expanse of his surroundings, seeking out anything suspicious. But he couldn't see anything. He couldn't detect any foreign chakra signals either. His eyes narrowed. Somebody, or something, had set those rocks loose upon them. They couldn't have appeared out of thin air.

"Sasuke-kun?" a soft voice called tentatively behind him. Sasuke's dark head turned to find that Sakura had joined him on the rooftop. He felt a twinge of anger as he noted the anxious expression that had manifested itself upon her features. The experience had clearly, and understandably, shaken her.

Angling his body toward his doe-eyed teammate, he uttered in a low tone, "Someone was here."

* * *

Behind the safe concealment of their hiding spot, Shikamaru's heart was pounding. Sasuke was even faster than he'd anticipated; the young Uchiha's reputation for sheer speed had certainly not been exaggerated. It was fortunate for the Nara mastermind that he'd anticipated Sasuke moving to the roof after releasing him and Sakura from his Shadow Imitation jutsu. The only reason he and Sai hadn't been detected was because they'd had a respectable head start after they'd let loose the last of the rocks, which his technique had enabled him to easily assemble.

The boulder throwing idea had been a collective one, but Shikamaru had been the one who'd insisted that immobilising the Team 7 members was vital to avoiding detection so early into their plan. He let out a silent sigh of relief. Sasuke, as he had expected, had been immediately suspicious, and had come perilously close to engaging his Sharingan, which would have allowed him to distinguish Shikamaru's chakra disguised within his and Sakura's shadows. Their fortune had held out, but how long would it last? As he cast a wary look toward a grinning Ino, he suddenly thought that he didn't want to know.

"You're amazing, Shika-kun!" his girlfriend gushed. Poor Sai's efforts went completed unacknowledged as the blonde kunoichi clapped her hands together excitedly. "They're playing right into our hands! Alright! Lee! Are you ready for Stage Two of Operation Love?"

Shikamaru's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. Did she have to keep referring to their mission by that silly name? She'd obviously brainwashed both Lee and Sai into sharing her enthusiasm, however, for the Green Beast of Konoha saluted eagerly.

"The power of youth is at your disposal, Ino-san!"

* * *

Following their unexpected ordeal, Sasuke had kept to the rooftops to allow for a wider scope of vision. Surely nothing else could catch them by surprise up here. Allowing Sakura to walk ahead of him out of precaution for her safety, his crimson eyes continuously scanned their surroundings, seeking out any clues as to who, or what, had been behind their unpleasant experience just minutes prior.

Sakura's body-language was openly strained. His gaze briefly travelled over the lines of her slight, slender shoulders, noting how edgy and tense they were, as if she expected something to jump out at them at any moment. Something bubbled deep within Sasuke's chest, a fierce, burning feeling that he couldn't immediately place. It soon hit him, however. Protectiveness. He hadn't felt it since his battle against Uchiha Madara, in one particular, horrible instance when Naruto had been in mortal danger and Sasuke had thought that an iron fist had closed around his heart, squeezing mercilessly. Sakura was afraid. He could see it all too clearly. The sudden, strange need to soothe her agitation filled him and he was calling to her before he could reconsider.

"Sakura."

She jumped a little at his voice, before twisting her head to regard him with a strained little smile.

"Ah! Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"Relax," he ordered, averting his eyes nonchalantly as he spoke.

"O-oh, yeah," Sakura stuttered, turning her attention back to the dull, burnt-orange hued tiles before her. As they reached a parting between two separate roofs, Sasuke stepped around the kunoichi to traverse the simple jump first. Landing fluidly atop the new building, he watched as Sakura followed easily after him.

Except it didn't quite work out that way; Sakura made the jump, and landed close to the edge of the roof. As she lifted her right foot to secure a firm foothold on the slanted surface, her left seemed to slip from beneath her and she was falling back before she could comprehend what had happened. She gasped, frantic mind seeking out ways to break her fall – when a firm grip on her flailing left wrist tugged her forward to safety. She looked up into Sasuke's rather incredulous face and blushed deeply in embarrassment. The jump had been little more than a hop; something even a regular civilian child could manage. But she was certain that she had felt _something _pulling at her left foot as she'd landed, and that something, whatever it had been, had compromised her balance. Would Sasuke believe her if she attempted to explain what she was certain she'd sensed for a brief, transitory moment? Or was she just being paranoid and jittery, and totally losing it? She then became aware of the coolness of Sasuke's fingers, still encircling her wrist, and felt her cheeks flush a deeper shade of red.

_I'm blushing,_ she thought in dismay. _He can see how red my face is, and must be thinking I'm a complete, incompetent idiot._

She didn't know that Sasuke was, in reality, far too busy contemplating the uncharacteristic slip on her part to pay her change in complexion much thought.

"I-I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," Sakura stammered. "I don't know what happened-" she broke off in surprise as Sasuke reeled her in to him, and in a movement far too swift for the eye to follow, alighted both their forms back to the ground below. Sakura's heart was pounding as the tall Uchiha relinquished his grasp on her wrist and stepped back, placing a respectable distance between them again. His eyes narrowed into slits as she began to walk, and he made sure to remain a single footfall behind her. Something suspicious was going on, and Sasuke knew that he had to keep his wits about him if he wanted to get to the bottom of whatever it was that was happening.

Sakura mentally calculated that the route home to Sasuke's apartment would take them no more than a ten minute walk at most. She desperately hoped that nothing else unexpected occurred within the remaining timeframe; her heart and her senses were exhausted for the day, and she didn't think she could bear any further surprises. She was just beginning to mull over the day's events for the hundredth time when she heard a familiar voice calling out her name.

"Sakura-saaaaaaaaan!"

Sasuke's negative reaction was instantaneous. His hands balled into tight fists and his jaw visibly clenched as they turned to regard the rapidly approaching form of Konoha's self-proclaimed 'Green Beast'.

_Why is he here again? _Sasuke thought in annoyance as a perplexed Sakura politely greeted her friend.

"Lee-san?"

"Sakura-san!" Lee flashed an exuberant smile her way. Sasuke was briefly overwhelmed by an incomprehensible desire to wipe it off his odd face. "I have located you at last!"

"What do you want?" Sasuke practically snapped at him, before catching himself. Inwardly startled by his uncharacteristic outburst, he looked pointedly at a surprised Sakura, and hastily amended, "I'm leaving." The remainder of his unspoken message was unmistakable; he'd wasted enough time tarrying about the streets and was heading back to his apartment, with or without Sakura in tow.

"But Sasuke-kun-" Sakura began, as Sasuke turned his back dismissively to Lee and took his first steps away.

"Sakura-san, you seemed upset when you left Ichiraku's," Lee lifted a fist as he recited the opener Ino had equipped him with, "Being a true gentleman, I followed you to discover the source of your discomfort…"

Sasuke had only taken three steps when Lee's words halted him. He turned his head, casting an incredulous glare Mr. Fuzzy Eyebrow's way.

_This idiot_, Sasuke thought angrily. _What is he…?_

"Sakura-san," Lee was continuing sincerely. "I have sworn to protect you to the death; not only from enemies on the battlefield, but from any other sources that might pain you. Please tell me what I can do to ease your sadness! For I am the Knight of Youth and you are the eternal flower which blossoms forever in my eyes…"

_This-this moron_…Sasuke gritted his teeth, now directing an open glare Lee's way. But the green-clad youth was oblivious, his attention fully focused on a visibly uncomfortable Sakura.

"Sakura-san!" Sasuke's face betrayed his utter astonishment as he watched Lee descend on one knee before the pink-haired kunoichi. "Let me be your youthful knight, and I promise you, you shall never feel sad again!"

Sasuke internally exploded, outraged by the travesty he was witnessing. What nerve Lee had to make such an awful, nausea-inducing pledge in his presence, as if he wasn't there at all, as if his presence didn't hold any weight. And besides, Sakura didn't _need_ a knight; she wasn't as helpless as she had once been. And even if she did require a small measure of protection, she certainly didn't need it from Lee, not when Sasuke was around to keep an eye out for her. What a foolish, empty promise to make; as if Lee could shield Sakura from sadness, when sadness was unavoidable, interwoven into the very fabric of life, and even more prominently so in the lives of shinobi and kunoichi.

The heavy, burning feeling in his chest was now impossible to dismiss. What unsettled Sasuke more than anything, however, was the sudden dawning of realisation that struck him at that moment like a bolt of lightning. He had felt the unpleasant sensation before, first as a young child, growing up in the eternal shadow cast by Itachi's magnificent brilliance, then by all the time Shisui had robbed him from spending in his older brother's presence, and more recently as a Genin, when he'd witnessed Naruto's alarming pace of growth, and felt unworthy, inferior, _not good enough_.

Yes, jealousy was an emotion that Uchiha Sasuke knew all too well. What he could not comprehend was why he would feel such a deep sense of loathing toward Rock Lee. Lee didn't possess anything that Sasuke didn't, apart from a terrible dress sense and eyebrows that had the ability to scare even the hardiest of ninja. Lee was a strong shinobi in his own right, but he was not legendary like Sasuke. He didn't have anything Sasuke wanted.

The last of the Uchiha clan was at a loss to explain the intensity of his feelings. There was no logic or reason behind them or his desire to flash step between Sakura and the fool and strike him cleanly across the face. But he kept the urge at bay. He couldn't explain such an action to himself, let alone to Sakura. And so it was all he could do to silently fume as Sakura raised a flabbergasted hand to her mouth. She was blushing deeply, which only served to irk Sasuke further as he misread the nature of her change in complexion. One corner of his lips twitched in disgust; was she actually flattered by the sickening attention Lee was paying her?

"L-Lee-san, please get up-" she began, when a gasp suddenly escaped her lips and she promptly fainted. Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm, all his anger momentarily suppressed, and in an instant, before Lee could even blink, he'd blurred to Sakura's side, breaking her fall. Clutching onto her shoulders and supporting her weight against his body, Sasuke ignored Lee's presence as he gazed down at her face. Her eyelids were closed, but fluttering fitfully.

"S-Sakura…?" he uttered uncertainly. What had happened to her? It surely wasn't normal for a person to faint so abruptly. A loud, rude, invading voice snapped his attention back to the shinobi before him.

"Sakura-san!"

Sasuke shot a murderous glare that promised a long, painful death, at Lee.

"Leave!" he snarled.

But Lee had always been persistent; something that Sasuke had always found annoying to no end. He foolishly chose to disregard the instruction to make himself scarce, and rushed forward. "S-Sakura-san! Do not worry! I shall save you from this!"

He reached out, as if to touch the med-nin, but Sasuke shifted and struck his hand aside. His left arm wound around her slender midriff was the only thing keeping Sakura propped up against him. "I said-" he began threateningly.

"Sasuke-san, we must work together to assist her!" Lee interjected.

A moan escaped Sakura's lips, and distracted, Sasuke looked down to find her features contorted as if she were in pain. He felt as if the ground had vanished beneath his feet, as his heart plummeted into descent. He was gripped by a depth of panic that shook him to his very core. A bead of sweat was forming on her forehead, and she looked to be in genuine distress. What in the world was _happening?_

Sasuke was not accustomed to not being in control of situations. Gripping her shoulder again with his other hand, he slowly lowered her to rest on the ground and remained crouched beside her, an arm supporting her back. Even Lee did not miss the gentleness to the young Uchiha's actions. He was astounded that such dangerous hands, hands that had dealt so much pain and destruction in the past, hands that held the ability to maim and kill in the blink of an eye, could be so careful, almost hesitant, when handling Sakura.

Sasuke's concern for his teammate was plain for Lee to see. He was momentarily silent as a new, foreign thought struck him. What if Ino had been right? What if Sasuke did indeed secretly feel more than amity toward the pink-haired kunoichi? Not that Lee would blame him if he did; Sakura was the most beautiful girl in the world in Lee's eyes; but the notion of Sasuke feeling such things was so alien to Lee that he refused to acknowledge it and held onto the foolish hope that he still retained a semblance of a chance with the girl of his dreams.

"When a lady faints, there is only one thing that can restore her!" he informed Sasuke, who looked up at him with narrow eyes full of dubiousness and mistrust. Gesturing gallantly with his fist, Lee spoke the words that very nearly resulted in him being impaled by a well-aimed stream of _Chidori_.

"The Kiss of Youth!"

"…" Sasuke's thoughts whirred to an abrupt stop and for a terrible moment all was deadly silent, before utter chaos erupted in the young Uchiha's mind.

_What!_ Sasuke's patience splintered cleanly in half. He had set Sakura down and was on his feet in an instant. Before Lee could comprehend what was happening, he felt a livid fist grab him by the collar as Sasuke jerked him roughly forward and thrust his face within inches of his. Lee stared in astonishment and mild alarm at the pure violence that swirled into existence behind Sasuke's eyes as his irises bled red and gave way to the glorious yet startling materialisation of an eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

"_If you touch her_," Sasuke snarled in a low voice, fingers tightening in a choking hold around poor Lee's throat. "_I'll-_"

_-kill you_, had been the intended threat that had been all too ready to follow, but a firm grip on his shoulder drew him back to awareness. He twisted his head to find Shikamaru, staring at him with eyes that widened on meeting the piercing Mangekyou. Sasuke had been so caught up in his rage and malevolent feelings that he'd failed to pick up on the young Nara's steady, signature chakra approaching.

"Let him go, Sasuke." Shikamaru stated calmly.

Sasuke didn't want to let go. He wanted to tear Lee's head clean off for the shameless proposition he'd made about Sakura. Just the thought of Lee, or anybody else, touching Sakura like that, made him see red. He was far too furious to dwell on what that might mean, and with gritted teeth, turned his deadly gaze back to a spluttering Lee. Shikamaru's grip on his shoulder tightened in warning.

"I don't want to force you," he added quietly, when Sasuke did not immediately comply.

A contemptuous sneer manifested itself on Sasuke's lips and he counted five, slow seconds in his mind before finally cooperating, shoving Lee forcefully back away from him. Glancing back at Shikamaru, he allowed his Mangekyou to recede but retained the regular Sharingan form, channelling a small stream of chakra to cause the tomoes to spin pointedly, as he arrogantly countered, "Like you could."

Shikamaru held his gaze steadily for a moment, before turning his attention to Lee, who was rubbing his neck, coughing and wincing.

"Y-you didn't tell me that he- that he'd react so aggressively-" he wheezed, earning a cautioning look from Shikamaru. Sasuke's eyes immediately locked back onto him, and he stared a long, hard, probing stare, silently demanding elaboration.

"Ugh…" Three sets of heads turned to find Sakura sitting up dazedly, hand held to her temples. Glaring once more at Lee, Sasuke walked back and crouched down beside her.

"Sakura," he spoke quietly. She blinked foggily for a few seconds, before her vision seemed to focus and she reached out to him, grabbing hold of his arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "S-Sasuke-kun! I'm so sorry, I-" she broke off, features darkening as she adding ominously beneath her breath, too low for the former nukenin to catch, "_That PIG…_"

Sasuke stared at her for a long moment, internally startled by the depth of relief that had rushed through him at her abrupt awakening. He turned his head and was surprised to find that Shikamaru and Lee had already departed. Suspicion was running rampant in his mind but he couldn't prove his theory, not now that they'd vanished. Looking back to his teammate, he asked, "Can you stand?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Really," Sakura offered him a watery smile, a ghost of her true one. Sasuke got to his feet and offered her a hand. The shaky smile was replaced by a beam as she accepted it and allowed him to pull her up. When she was on her feet, she made to withdraw her hand but was astonished when her effort was met with mild resistance.

Her heart quickened within her when Sasuke didn't immediately let go.

"What happened?" he demanded. Sakura's eyes widened. If she told him what had really happened, if she relayed the truth, she knew he wouldn't take it well. She feared how he might react if he found out that every unfortunate thing that had happened to them hadn't been a coincidence. His razor-sharp mind had already picked up on the fact that someone was responsible; she hated to think how he'd respond if he discovered just who it was that had been trouble-making. Even though she was furious, she knew it was something that she would have to deal with privately.

"I just felt a little dizzy," she outright lied, praying that he would buy her excuse. "I'm probably a little dehydrated…"

But Sasuke had always had the unnerving ability to read her like an open book. His fingers tightened around her hand, as he pressed, "Sakura," conveying in that word alone that he did not believe her.

The kunoichi shook her head, smiling nervously. "R-really, Sasuke-kun, it's nothing! Let's just forget it, ok? I'm fine. Really I am. I'm sorry if I startled you."

He stared long and hard at her for a moment, before snorting dismissively.

"You didn't," he deadpanned, relinquishing his hold on her hand and stuffing his own casually back into his pockets. She found that she instantly missed the warmth and security she'd grown to associate with his touch again. They walked side by side in silence, both lost in their own thoughts, though Sakura's were decidedly more murderous than Sasuke's at that moment.

_Just you wait until I get my hands on you, Ino-pig… _

_

* * *

_

A groaning Ino sat up frowning, rubbing her throbbing head. Just as she had done at the Chuunin exams years earlier, Sakura had forcefully booted her out of her mind.

"That damned Forehead Girl," the blonde kunoichi muttered. She was going to have one hell of a headache after this. She just hoped Sakura was grateful, even though their mental conversation hadn't gone as smoothly as Ino had anticipated.

"You're awake," Sai stated, ever pointing out the obvious. Ino blinked, and turned her head to find her accomplices staring at her expectantly. But one of them didn't look so pleased; Ino blanched at the formidably stern expression on Nara Shikamaru's face.

"Maybe you'd like to know that thanks to your troublesome meddling, Lee almost lost his head today," he censured. He looked pointedly at a distraught Lee, who promptly proceeded to burst into floods of tears, because he knew that he had truly lost Sakura now. He'd seen it with his own eyes; Sasuke wouldn't let any other man near her, because surely he wanted to claim her for himself.

It was only a question of _when_ it would happen, and no longer if.

"S-Sasuke-he-he and Sakura-san…oh Gai-sensei! I have failed!"

Sai regarded him thoughtfully. "I wonder," he mused, "Is Sasuke's behaviour typical of a man who feels threatened in some way? It seems a little extreme…"

Ino was on her feet in a flash. She tilted a little unsteadily as she was overwhelmed by a brief spell of vertigo, before grabbing excitedly at the front of her boyfriend's shirt.

"Then it worked!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

"If it was your intention to bring out the killer in Sasuke, then I suppose it did," Shikamaru replied. Sighing heavily, he added, "It's over, Ino. We can't push our luck any further; if Sasuke finds out that we were behind all of this, I don't think even Naruto and Sakura together could stop him from coming after us."

"Oh, you're being so dramatic!" Ino waved dismissively. She gasped as Shikamaru's hands clamped around her wrists and he regarded her with a look so serious that she felt a flutter of apprehension for the first time since she'd decided to embark on her haphazard plan.

"_Listen_ to me, Ino. Sasuke is very protective of those closest to him. I don't know what it is about Sakura in particular that causes him to react so adversely-"

"He loves her!" Ino cried. "Why can't you see that he-?"

"I know," Shikamaru interjected, and Ino caught her breath at his frank acknowledgement. "After what I saw today, I don't doubt it. He just doesn't realise it, yet. You can't force that onto him, Ino; it takes time."

"But-" the kunoichi attempted to argue.

"No. That's enough. I don't know enough about Sasuke to predict how he'd react to the knowledge that you conjured this whole idea up." A hard look glinted in his eyes as he added, "But Sasuke isn't the only one who's protective of those close to him."

Ino's heart leapt upon hearing his words. She hardly saw this side to Shikamaru. Did he really care that deeply for her? He always seemed so exasperated around her that she often wondered if what he felt for her was as strong as the depth of the attachment she harboured for him.

"Shikamaru…" Overwhelmed by her emotions, she reached out and drew her boyfriend into a close embrace, clinging to him tightly. He released a quiet breath of relief, hoping that she'd chosen to heed his advice this time.

Sai averted his eyes and Lee wept more dramatically at the open display of affection between the pair. When Ino finally pulled away, she nodded in understanding.

"You're right. We _can't_ force Sasuke. But Sakura already knows I was behind everything. She knew the moment I engaged _Shintenshin ____**no**__ Jutsu_."

Shikamary shook his head. He'd been thoroughly against Ino employing her clan's Mind Body Switch technique, but the blonde had insisted upon it. Of course Sakura knew. Dread trickled into him as he wondered whether she'd already told all to Sasuke.

"Sakura won't tell Sasuke," Ino said confidently, understanding the apprehensive look on the young Nara's face. "She can read him better than any of us; she knows he'll be furious. But there's just one last thing left that we can do. It isn't much, but it's something."

Shikamaru placed a palm against his forehead in frustration. "Ino…" he began.

"I promise I won't meddle after this. Please, guys. Just trust me! There won't be any more trouble!"

Sai and a sniffling Lee exchanged silent glances. Her boyfriend gave her a long, probing look.

"You won't provoke Sasuke?"

"No."

"Promise."

"I promise that we won't even talk to Sasuke."

Shikamaru turned his eyes up to the heavens and sighed deeply. Ino held her breath as he seemed to consider for a long moment. "Fine," he conceded at length, "No doubt you have something troublesome in mind, so we're all accompanying you this time."

Ino smiled a sugary smile. "Trust me; I guarantee you that Haruno Sakura will kiss Uchiha Sasuke this evening."

Shikamaru's jaw dropped as he frantically wondered just what he'd assented to doing. Sai looked bemused and Lee aghast. The three shinobi exchanged uneasy glances before Lee burst out into a fresh bout of tears.

**Author's Note**

_Mwahaha! Hopefully this made up for the lack of SasuSaku in previous chapters? I hope you all enjoyed it. The next chapter will likely be the last one; that's not finalised but at the moment, the ideas I have in mind will only take one last chapter to fill. I bet you're wondering how I'm going to throw in a kiss without being OOC, well you'll just have to wait and see eh? Bwahaha! xD_

_I also realise that all of you lot are expecting an epic ending so shall do my utmost to deliver it. Oh the pressure is on! XD_

_Anyway, please leave your thoughts on this one and I'll try to get the next/last chapter up as soon as I can. I can't promise a quick update like the last two instalments though; my holiday period is coming to a rapid end and I won't have time to work on this again before it does. But I hope you've enjoyed reading three new chapters in the space of just a few weeks! I've really made an effort to put up as much as I can in a short time frame, so I hope you'll forgive me if it does take me a little longer to update again. It's never my intention to keep you all in suspense (well, no more than necessary lol), but I seriously do lead a majorly busy life and writing, as a hobby, unfortunately takes the back seat to other things. _

_On that note, I'd like to wish all of my readers a happy, prosperous New Year. Take care of yourselves and enjoy the celebrations! : D _


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